We talk a lot about the "journey" of faith, and "walking with" one another. As you read the following scripture reading, I invite you to think about the components to "walking with" others, or allowing others to "walk with" us. What are the different components?
SCRIPTURE READING:
Luke 24:13-25 (The Message)
The Road to Emmaus
13-16That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who he was. 17-18He asked, "What's this you're discussing so intently as you walk along?"They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn't heard what's happened during the last few days?"
19-24He said, "What has happened?"
They said, "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus."
25-27Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don't you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?" Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.
FURTHER DISCUSSION:
- What are your experiences "walking with" someone else?
- What are you experiences allowing someone to walk with you on your journey?
- Was it difficult or easy? Why?
3 comments:
I very much find myself on this road to Emmaus. It says that the disciples were not able to recognize who Jesus was. I so often wonder how often I don’t recognize Christ beside me, or how often I am living past the fact that Christ is so very much present in my life. Throughout my entire life, I have been blessed to have spiritual mentors, walking with me, helping me to see, helping me to understand who God created me to be, helping me to more closely follow God’s calling in the little and big things of life. I find myself continuously longing for this spiritual awareness (or new spiritual understanding), and at the same time, I often find myself getting side-tracked and lost within my own “busy-ness”. For me the separation of the spiritual and my sometimes not so spiritual grounded-ness in the “important to-do’s” create a painful tension.
As living a Christ-centered life is challenging and often asks me to go against the “normal flow of things”, against what is expected “normal behavior” in our society, having the opportunity to share my faith and having other Christ-followers on a similar journey are a source of strength.
Thank you for your reflections! Stay present to the leading of the Spirit on the journey...
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