Devotion: On the Road to Emmaus
On the Road to Emmaus
Please review the scripture from the weekend: Luke 24:13-35
Rembrandt painted hundreds of Biblical scenes, but he returned to the story of the Road to Emmaus on four occasions. He created a pen drawing of men walking and two oil pieces of the meal at the inn. He portrays the main events, including the moment when the men realize the person that accompanied them was Jesus. Another pen and ink displays the moment when Jesus vanishes. In each work, the mood is solemn, and Jesus is highlighted by light, but in all accounts, Rembrandt addresses the wonder of Christ’s resurrection. He captures the moment when Jesus is ‘seen.’
Luke describes for us the mindset of Jesus’ friends. They were sad, distracted, and very anxious. Their minds were completely absorbed with the uncertainty of life in its current moment. They were so fearful of the unknown they asked their new friend to join them for dinner and to stay, adding it was not safe in the streets. They sit and visit, and as he does so well, Jesus continues to teach.
Then, all at once, Jesus’ friends are able to ‘see’ Jesus for who he is, and Jesus vanishes. There is a fundamental difference of ‘see’ and ‘see’ in this moment. Once Jesus’ friends let down their guard, they are able to see Jesus and they are left in awe. Just as in the story, it is in this space where we are vulnerable and allow ourselves to experience grace and feel peace.
So why do we resist?
Why is it that when we find ourselves in a space of uncertainty, anxiety, or any other uncomfortable feeling, we resort to old habits, or ‘exits’ for our minds? We all have familiar exits, perhaps zoning out in front of the television, scrolling through social media, or over-busying our time. Sometimes endless chatter becomes our exit, all keeping us in an avoidant state of acknowledging the space where we can ‘see.’
In her message, Pastor Sarah talked about how we often come to church, and beyond, with things on our minds. How often do we get caught up in our own lives and do not take the time to see what and more is directly in front of us? How often do we use ‘me’ or ‘I’ statements that keep us absorbed in ourselves and keep us in an endless cycle of ‘exiting’ from what really matters? These ‘exits’ keep us from the calm headspace where we see Jesus in our lives. At its simplest, the story of the Road to Emmaus is a story about how Jesus walks with his friends and they do not recognize him. At the core, it reiterates that once we let go of ourselves, we can really ‘see’ Jesus in our lives.
Dear Jesus, please help us recognize your hidden presence in our lives, help us recognize and adjust our exits, help us to be intentional, and let us be a testament to peace in the world.
Written by Vanessa Roof
Vanessa Roof lives just outside of Lincoln with her husband Chad, and their three children Ben, Morgan, and Andy. She is the Director of the Enterprise Data Solutions Team for the University of Nebraska System. Vanessa has been a member of Sheridan since 2006 and has served on the Church Council since 2017. She served as a Confirmation small group leader previously for Ben and is currently for Andy. Vanessa enjoys being outdoors and loves spending time on her acreage with her family, dogs, and horses.