WITH EYES OPEN

 

April 7, 2025

This Week’s Theme:

Seeing with God’s Eyes

Learning to see the world as God does 

and living in hope, renewal, and restoration.

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Luke 24:13-25

 

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 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. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

 

At times it is easy to wonder where God is when things don’t turn out as expected. The disciples on the road to Emmaus were in this exact place, walking away from Jerusalem, away from hope, away from what they thought would be the future. They had believed Jesus was the one to redeem Israel, but now He was gone. Their grief and disappointment clouded their vision, making it impossible to see that Jesus was walking right beside them.

As Cleopas and the other disciple walked, they didn’t recognize Jesus (Luke 24:16). When He asked what they were talking about, they stopped, looking downcast (Luke 24:17). They explained how they had hoped Jesus would be the Redeemer, yet now He was gone, and they weren’t sure what to believe (Luke 24:21).

Jesus responded by opening the Scriptures to them, explaining everything about the Messiah from Moses to the prophets (Luke 24:27). Even though their hearts burned as He spoke (Luke 24:32), they still didn’t recognize Him ---- until He took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they saw Him for who He was (Luke 24:30-31).

I wonder, how often do expectations and disappointments keep us from recognizing Jesus in our own lives? Our reading today seems to suggest that the disciples had all the right information, but they didn’t truly see until Jesus revealed Himself through an ordinary act, breaking bread. We are like them at times, don’t you think? Sometimes, we look for God in some grand signs and wonders, but He meets us in the simple, everyday moments.

I believe, seeing with God’s eyes means trusting the truth that the Bible teaches us that God is near, God is with us, even when we don’t recognize Him in our midst.

Today let’s pray for eyes to see beyond our expectations and recognize His presence in the everyday moments. Just as He walked with the disciples, He is walking with us now.