Our Hearts Still Burn

Faded hope and grim despair on the day of the murdered king
Foolish minds and unbelief could not grasp what the prophets sing:

Did not Jesus have to suffer, enter glory through agony
When the King unpacked his Word their hearts leapt and their eyes could see

Everything the Scriptures say in the Prophets, the Law, the Psalms
Touching Jesus, called the Christ, is fulfilled in this gospel song

The Messiah had to suffer had to rise on the first Lord’s Day
We proclaim to every land true forgiveness in Jesus’ name

We were deaf but now we hear Scripture’s voice both in type and word
Unbelief that had us chained has become in our eyes absurd

Did our hearts not burn within us as He spoke with us on the way
And our hearts still burn with fire as His Word speaks to us today

~  Words and Music by Matt Boswell and D. A. Carson  ~
~ Sung by Jeremy Casella ~

*  ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~  *

Luke 24:13-33
And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem.
And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred.
And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them.
But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him.
And He said to them, What is this discussion that you are exchanging between yourselves as you walk along? And they stood still, looking sad and downcast.
Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, Do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and not know the things that have occurred there in these days?
And He said to them, What [kind of] things? And they said to Him, About Jesus of Nazareth, Who was a Prophet mighty in work and word before God and all the people—
And how our chief priests and rulers gave Him up to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him.
But we were hoping that it was He Who would redeem and set Israel free. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things occurred.
And moreover, some women of our company astounded us and [drove us out of our senses. They were at the tomb early [in the morning]
But did not find His body; and they returned saying that they had [even] seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive!
So some of those [who were] with us went to the tomb and they found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.
And [Jesus] said to them, O foolish ones [sluggish in mind, dull of perception] and slow of heart to believe (adhere to and trust in and rely on) everything that the prophets have spoken!
Was it not necessary and [essentially fitting that the Christ (the Messiah) should suffer all these things before entering into His glory (His majesty and splendor)?
Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the Prophets, He went on explaining and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself.
Then they drew near the village to which they were going, and He acted as if He would go further.
But they urged and insisted, saying to Him, Remain with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. So He went in to stay with them.
And it occurred that as He reclined at table with them, He took [a loaf of] bread and praised [God] and gave thanks and asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them
When their eyes were [instantly] opened and they [clearly] recognized Him, and He vanished (departed invisibly).
And they said to one another, Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and explained to us [the sense of] the Scriptures?
And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem….

What a glorious account!  Can you even imagine???  Try…put yourself in the sandals of Cleopas and his friend as they trudged along saddened to their very core.

Three days earlier Jesus had been crucified by death on the Cross before the entire city.  And His disciples had clearly been expecting that He would be alive (not that they understood HOW that would happen!).  But after the women came back from the now empty tomb…and Jesus’ body was missing…and told them a “tale” about angels…and Jesus being alive…well, it was just TOO much!  Perhaps these two disciples just needed a break from all the emotion and drama and weariness and desperate sadness, and set out for this short journey.

Obviously all that had transpired was pressing on their minds and hearts…it was the center of their conversation as they meandered along.  Then, the very One Whom they spoke of was suddenly walking alongside them.  (Note that they recognize Him as the Lord…their eyes were “held.”)  And Jesus (so kind! Is our Lord not the most compassionate?!?) spoke with them, drawing them out…and finally, our Lord begins to explain “…and interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and referring to Himself….” as He continued walking along them.  All the while, teaching and reminding and explaining and expounding to them about Himself…to no avail…UNTIL He was sharing a meal with them, and had taken the bread, broken it, and was giving it to them.  Then their ‘eyes were instantly opened and they clearly recognized Him’...they got it!  The next words they spoke always thrill and amaze my heart: “Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and explained to us the Scriptures?”

(Ok, you can put your own sandals back on.)  This—dullness of heart and mind, failure to hold the Word in our hearts, inability to put the truth of the Scriptures together—is our quandary, at times, too.  But we DO also have those times when our hearts are ‘greatly moved’ and are ‘burning within us,’ don’t we?  And so we should praise and thank the Lord for those times…and ask for more!  This Jesus, who strolled along the road to Emmaus with Cleopas and his friend, also walks and talks with us…me and you!  In fact, He now lives within us; He is always available to us; He is interceding for us at the Father’s right hand!

My prayer for all of us is that we would seek our Lord, asking His wisdom, seeking His truth, receiving discernment and guidance and knowledge…and that we would voice our thankful praise saying, “Were not our hearts greatly moved and burning within us while He was talking with us….”

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