Our Emmaus Road
* To provide further context to this blog, I encourage you to read Luke 24:13-35.
We are all in the process of growing in revelation. We are like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who while walking with Jesus, fail to realize He’s there (fully alive and fully engaged) the whole time. And just because we don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
If our journey is comprised of stepping blocks, those blocks are revelation—specifically revelation of His nature. As Abba longs to bring us into greater light, He’ll never shame us, but will many times speak our language in order to reveal His. He meets fisherman and tells them to become "fishers of men.” At Pentecost, Holy Spirit began speaking in their own languages—it was Fathers way of saying “I see you, I love you, I speak your own language.” Throughout the gospels, Jesus spoke in parables using agriculture, seed, wheat, tares, etc. to meet them in their familiarity. Psalm 19 says He speaks in nature.
Mankind has been in a journey of progressive revelation. Abba met our forefathers in their current perspective and their language in order to teach them His language.
Abba met Abraham in his current perspective (of child sacrifice) to unveil Himself as Jehovah-Jireh (Genesis 22:14). Although father Abraham had an image of god like that of the Chaldeans, Father met him to show him that He is not like other gods—He doesn’t do child sacrifice. He provides through laid-down, self-giving sacrifice.
He met forefathers of the old covenant in their current perspective of animal sacrifice to reveal Himself as Jehovah-Tsidkenu, our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Father was speaking their language in order to reveal that what they had put their faith in would only be a foreshadow of the One who would take away the sins of the world.
Jesus submitted to humanity’s dark perspective, meeting them with agape, self-sacrificial love. As the light of the world, Christ shone forth the light of His fellowship with the Father—and He now makes us carriers of the same light.
Do you see how He wants to speak your language in order to reveal His?
Some may say, I don’t know a lot of the Bible and therefore exempt themselves from seeing Jesus and His Father in a new light. But I would say, “do you have friends, children, family, people around?” If so, then pay attention to the Christ within them. Notice the delight you share in those relationships and you will see Their union in all of it.
Besides, it’s not the Father, Son and holy scriptures… it’s Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Does Holy Spirit use scripture to enlighten? Of course! In fact, I love the scriptures and desire to see all awaken to Jesus revealed in the volume of the Bible. However, Holy Spirit will turn the lights on anywhere and everywhere, by using anything necessary. He just asks for a yielded heart.
Jesus doesn’t throw up His hands when we don’t recognize Him—just look at Mary in the garden, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, or the fishing disciples. He enjoys the pursuit and the sharing.
HE MEETS US ANYWHERE & EVERYWHERE
He meets us in our tears and brokenness, just like He did with Mary (John 11:33). He met her in her tears, imaging forth the heart of the Father. I like to say it this way: the shortest verse in Scripture can tell us the most about the Father. Interestingly, Jesus met Mary with “Dear woman,” but soon turned it into her true nature, “Mary” (see John 20:11-16).
Jesus meets us in our current profession, even when we, like Peter, have resorted to that place as a comfort and satisfaction (see John 21). Jesus met Peter with the same miracle to remind him of why He showed up (Luke 5:2-10).
Jesus goes to where we can rest. Sometimes He just needs to get us resting before He will unveil Himself (Luke 24:30). He has done this with me many times. For me, the prayer room is one of my slow-down rooms. Where’s your slow-down room?
FATHER WAS THERE THE WHOLE TIME
As Holy Spirit has been showing me this, I’ve been noticing that He’s speaking my language—more than I have normally realized. As of late, the Father has been reminding of past experiences of my adolescent years. He’s been taking me back to moments on the golf course, of times spent with friends, and moments where I was listening to certain music from my high school days. And it’s been doing something to my heart. To make a long story short, He’s been speaking my language in order to reveal that He was there the whole time. Because, when I was 15 or 16 (considering my lifestyle at that time), if you would’ve asked me if Jesus and the Father were with me, I would have said “no!”
However, through these venues of remembering the past, the Father is showing me that He was there the whole time—He’s speaking my language in order to reveal His. Now, that’s redemption!
PRACTICE
I encourage you to practice this. Allow Him to meet you in your language—whether past or present. Try this… Practice by going to that specific place and ask Jesus, “Were you there?” Go to the place you’re in now and ask Jesus, “Are you here now?”
Ask Holy Spirit to turn the lights on!
Father wants to reveal His nature. He wants to use any and all language to meet you with the language of “I AM HERE. I AM PRESENT.” Besides, the revelation of Him is the point of all revelation.
Let the Father speak your language!
