{"id":10963,"date":"2013-04-06T00:01:34","date_gmt":"2013-04-06T04:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/?p=10963"},"modified":"2013-04-05T15:09:49","modified_gmt":"2013-04-05T19:09:49","slug":"how-our-hearts-burned-within-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/girlfriendscoffeehour.com\/wordpress\/2013\/04\/06\/how-our-hearts-burned-within-us\/","title":{"rendered":"How Our Hearts Burned Within Us!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 24:13-33<\/strong>
\nAnd 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.<\/p>\n

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<\/i> downcast.\u00a0 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\u2014 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<\/i> 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<\/i> [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!<\/p>\n

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<\/i> [essentially fitting that the Christ (the Messiah) should suffer all these things before entering into His glory (His majesty and splendor)?<\/p>\n

Then beginning with Moses and [throughout] all the Prophets, He went on explaining and<\/i> interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and<\/i> 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<\/i> 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<\/i> gave thanks and<\/i> asked a blessing, and then broke it and was giving it to them.<\/p>\n

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<\/i> burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and<\/i> explained to us [the sense of] the Scriptures? And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem….<\/p>\n

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What a glorious account!\u00a0 Can you even imagine???\u00a0 …try<\/strong><\/em><\/span>…\u00a0 Put yourself in the sandals of Cleopas and his friend as they trudged along saddened to their very core.\u00a0 Three days earlier Jesus had been crucified to death on the Cross before the entire city.\u00a0 And His disciples had clearly been expecting that He would be alive (not that they understood HOW that would happen!).\u00a0 But after the women came back from the now empty tomb…and Jesus\u2019 body was missing…and told them a “tale” about angels…and Jesus being alive…well, it was just TOO much!\u00a0\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Obviously all that had transpired was pressing on their minds and hearts…it was the center of their conversation as they meandered along.<\/p>\n

Then, the very One Whom they spoke of was suddenly walking alongside them.\u00a0 (Not that they recognize Him as the Lord…their eyes were “held.”) And Jesus (so kind!\u00a0 Is our Lord not the most compassionate<\/em>?!?) spoke with them, drawing them out…and finally, our Lord begins to explain. \u00a0“…and<\/i> interpreting to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning and<\/i> referring to Himself….” as He continued walking along them.\u00a0 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.\u00a0 Then their \u2018eyes were instantly opened and they clearly recognized Him\u2019…they got it!\u00a0 The next words they spoke always thrill and amaze my heart: “Were not our hearts greatly moved<\/span> and<\/i> burning within us<\/span> while He was talking with us on the road and as He opened and<\/i> explained to us the Scriptures?<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

(Ok, you can put your own sandals back on.)\u00a0 This\u2014dullness of heart and mind, failure to hold the Word in our hearts, inability to put the truth of the Scriptures together\u2014is our quandry too.\u00a0 But we DO also have those times when our hearts are \u2018greatly moved’<\/span> and are \u2018burning within us<\/span>,\u2019 don\u2019t we?\u00a0 And so we should praise and thank the Lord for those times…and ask for more!\u00a0 This Jesus<\/strong> who strolled along the road to Emmaus with Cleopas and his friend also walks and talks with us…with me…with you!<\/strong>\u00a0 In fact, He now lives within us; He is always available to us; He is interceding for us at the Father\u2019s right hand!<\/p>\n

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<\/em><\/strong> hearts greatly moved and<\/i> burning within us while He was talking with us<\/span>….”<\/p>\n