Lost Emmaus…moments!

 

 

 

I posted a short observation this week about me ‘missing the point’…

 

I read the account in Luke 24: 3…35 this morning, and I noticed something in the story I’d never seen before, and I’ve read this story many, many times.

 

This morning, I read through the story several times…then this occurred to me;

 

It would have been so very easy for these followers to have ‘missed the moment’…so to speak’ at no time during this discourse did they have any idea as to his identity, so caught up in there own story they were not open to recognize who he was (although its hard not to feel that they may have had suspicions) this may have been another golden opportunity that never eventuated. Jesus made no suggestion that he was keen to continue the dialogue, this is not a codependent Jesus who ‘needs’ anything from us, and this point needs to be emphasized. Later they may have talked about it, wondering… ‘Who was that man’? Even with the benefit of hindsight these opportunities can’t always be recognized or even relived.

 

It needs to stated clearly, Jesus protects his identity with very good reason, he reveals himself when the time is right, regrettable for many these opportunities are never realized, in a very real sense we have to ‘earn the right to see him’ “they were kept from seeing him” when our very beings are open and responsive when the closed’ windows’ of doubt and uncertainty are opened we see as if for the very first time. Its my suspicion that for most! Jesus is never recognized and he continues on his way alone, and maybe he at the same time feels the regret of another ‘lost’ moment’ one where he should and so easily could have been ‘seen’ . looking back over my own life, I think I have failed to recognize him more times than I care to remember.

 

Could it be that for all of us, yes! The whole human race, are given Emmaus road opportunities throughout our lives, this can come in many different ways, we simple fail to see him. I now begin to understand the meaning of the man of sorrows; this is a perpetual experience for Jesus…for most he is simple never recognized. He feels the great disappointment for our moments lost. For him to ‘show himself’ without our consent would be the greatest disservice and the greatest danger, it would forever immunize us against any further possibility. This alone is the great paradox…‘so close yet so far’ the moment finally came through a simple everyday event…. there eyes were opened and they recognized him’ because I’ve failed to ‘see him’ I’ve wrongly concluded that he was never there to start with.

 

…In my own case, not only have I failed to recognize him, but also regrettable I’ve not even wanted him…maybe sometimes the two are the same!