Recognizing the Lord - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing,
majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 24:15-16,

" 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."

This comes from the account of the encounter between Jesus, on the day
of his resurrection, and Cleopas together with his unnamed companion.
Cleopas and his companion were walking to Emmaus, about seven miles
from Jerusalem when Jesus joined them. Jesus initiated a discussion
with them about everything that had just happened. In their
discussion, Jesus taught them from the Scriptures about how the Christ
had to "suffer these things and then enter his glory". From the
account, it was quite a walk through the Scriptures Jesus took them
through "from Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what
was said in all of the Scriptures concerning himself." as they walked
to Emmaus. I find the entire account fascinating. I wonder what the
encounter must have been like for Cleopas and his traveling companion.

We are told that the two men "were kept from recognizing him". They
were disciples and undoubtedly heard and seen the Lord speak on many
occasions, and quite possibly traveled with him as he carried out his
ministry prior to the recent events. How were they "kept" from
recognizing the Lord? Was it their own lack of perception that kept
them from recognizing him? A lack that required the ensuing Bible
study? Did the Lord cloak himself from them so they would not be
distracted till he was able to teach from the Scriptures that which
was quite possibly used on many later occasions by the early church?

At the end of the day, the men persuaded Jesus to stay with them in
Emmaus. When they ate, and Jesus broke bread, gave thanks and began to
give it to the men, "their eyes were opened and they recognized him".
What caused them to now recognize Jesus? Did the Lord turn a switch to
enable them? Was it the circumstances surrounding the meal? Was it
because they now understood what Jesus had taught them on the way to
Emmaus?

It is all fascinating for me to think of and to picture in my mind
what happened in this account. Later, the two men acknowledged to one
another how their hearts burned within them as Jesus talked and
"opened the Scriptures" on the road with them. They immediately got up
and went back to Jerusalem and reported it all to the "Eleven".

What an account! Regardless of the cause of these men to now recognize
the Lord when they couldn't just hours earlier, reminds me of what
there must be today of the Lord I am not seeing and my dependence upon
him to recognize and know him. I am reminded of what Paul had to say
and how dependent I am upon the Holy Spirit to perceive the things of
God, "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who
is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." 1
Corinthians 2:12.

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com