recognizing Jesus

Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, give us eyes to see you and ears to hear and hearts to recognize you in this time and space today.  Help us not to miss what you have for us.  May our hearts burn within us this day as you speak to us and draw us near to your great heart of love.  Amen.

Scripture: Luke 24:13-32

Journal: What keeps you from being able to recognize Jesus?  What helps you to recognize him?  What is Jesus up to in your life these days?  Where do you recognize his presence?

Reflection: “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:15-16) Sometimes we can get so busy talking about Jesus that we forget to talk to Jesus.  Look no further than the two men walking he road to Emmaus.  Sure, they had been through a lot.  They were still processing all that had happened over the last several days.  But Jesus himself came right up and walked along with them and they did not even recognize it.  The million dollar question is: What, exactly, kept them from being able to recognize him?  The answer to that question may lie in another question: What keeps you from being able to recognize him?

We get so caught up spinning around in our own little lives that we fail to recognize a lot of things, much less Jesus standing right in our midst.  We get so distracted by our own opinions and agendas and explanations that it is impossible to see where he is, or exactly what he is up to.  We need something, or Someone, to break us out of our continual loop and awaken us to his presence, his Spirit, and his voice.  We need to have our eyes opened, so that we too might say, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Prayer

Closing Prayer: Lord Jesus, there are so many things in this life that keep us from being able to recognize you; some of them even very good things.  Help us to not get so caught up in our own lives and ministries that we miss you standing in our very midst.  Have mercy on us, O Lord.  Amen.