Brown's Daily Word 4-14-10

Good morning,

This is going to be one of the brilliant days of April. I talked to some of my family members yesterday, who are in Orissa, India. They are experiencing a sizzling summer. The temperature reading 44 C, that is 111.2 F. The Schools have been conducting morning sessions only due to the extreme heat. Children go to school at 7 and are dismissed by 11.00 AM. They are also experiencing water shortages and frequent power outages.

Praise the Lord for this wonderful Wednesday. We will gather for our Mid-Week gathering this evening with a sumptuous meal at 6:00 PM and Bible study at 6.30 PM. Choir Practice will begin at 7:30 PM.

I am reflecting on Luke 24. Have you ever noticed that some of the saddest words in the English language begin with the letter D? For example, the words include disappointment, doubt, disillusionment, defeat, despair, depression, and death. All of these are summed up in the words of Cleopas and his companion as spoken to the stranger who joined them on the Emmaus road. They had left the dispirited and confused band of disciples with the events of Good Friday fresh in their memories. We can sympathize with their bewilderment and deep disappointment. In keeping with ancient Near Eastern rules of extravagant and generous hospitality, the two followers then invited the “stranger” to stay the night. Jesus accepted their offer, yet did not disclose His identity, in order to complete the lesson He had begun teaching them just outside Jerusalem.

According to 24:16, their eyes were prevented from recognizing Jesus. He revealed His identity only after taking great pains to explain to them “the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (24:27).

Luke concluded this story with another bit of irony. The disciples had been staring into the face of the risen Jesus, yet they were prevented from seeing Him until they buried their faulty expectations. Then, a careful review of the Scriptures gave them a divine perspective on what they once saw as dismal circumstances. Once their eyes were opened to the reality and implications of the Resurrection, Jesus became visible to their physical eyes. The Greek phrase ophthalmos dianoigo epiginosko, translated “eyes were opened and they recognized Him,” literally means “their eyes were completely opened” and “they came to fully comprehend Him.” This action was more than a mere recognition of His features. They came to recognize Jesus in all His significance as the Messiah, the Son of God, and their risen Lord! Then Jesus literally became “invisible”—aphantos—meaning that He suddenly vanished from their midst once their eyes were open. Now, their new, resurrected hope carried them back to Jerusalem to bear the good news to others (Luke 24:33–35).

As Luke told of the two despondent disciples on the road to Emmaus, we cannot help but identify with their pain. We, too, are pilgrims on a journey through life. We, too, despair of life’s circumstances from time to time. We, too, lose heart when our expectations come to a tragic end. We must, however, remember every trial is an opportunity to discover what God wants us to see.

Our disappointments are His appointments. Our extremities are His opportunities. He is our Eternal Contemporary. Jesus, the Risen Lord, is the bread for our journey.

Blessed be His Name.

Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45y3gX2szKg