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Practice Patience in Prayer, 19JUN
How long did it take Cleopas and his friend to walk to Emmaus? If they were walking from Jerusalem, then some bible scholars say it would have taken about 2 hours – then after their amazement of a Risen Jesus being personally revealed to them as their walking companion then dinner partner, they traveled right back – I bet they RAN all the way or at least speed-walked… bible scholars say that running that distance would still have taken at least an hour…
I think about my hour-long commute – or any hour-long drive that I have – I actually really do appreciate them now! I used to think an hour was lost time from my day – but I realize now that it is found time for me to ponder the mysteries of Christ and the world, the Word and the Way…. and how I fit… My processing commute is my walk to Emmaus every day, and I sing thru it, all the time… I stopped minding my time commitment to driving as soon as I awakened – 4 years ago now – the drive was necessary time for me to be alone with my thoughts and the Lord. Now I often think about my walk with the Lord and often my RUN to tell the others that I have beholden Jesus Himself in Truth… If Emmaus/Jerusalem, commuting by foot, was an hour or two time, then mine can be too… I bet those walking commutes also were filled with songs to fill the time… the key to any journey is not “passing the time” but FILLING THE TIME! Even long drives are faith opportunities… Fill your life with faith and prayer and praise…
The two walking to Emmaus were discussing all the news of the day from Jerusalem – BIG NEWS – then Jesus Himself came alongside and asked (knowingly) what happened… So, while they were recounting the story as news, Jesus, who IS the TRUTH, explained how all the news was truthfully fulfilled scripture… they heard it from the Source, but it still had to filter it into their understanding of reality… doubters and debaters were discipled… it was when Jesus broke the bread that they recognized Him… then He disappeared… and they rushed back to tell the others… (Luke 24)
They were ponderers and talking thru their faith – we can be too…
Doubters and Debaters today are STILL being discipled… I was one – are you one too?
Think of the time Jesus spent recounting the whole scriptures from Moses to the present time – explaining fulfillment – is that not what Jesus is still doing today with EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US?
The Truth is: Jesus takes the time to help us individually discover the Truth in our faith… Jesus takes the time to walk with us, talk, teach, sit down, ask questions of us, answer questions thru His Word – the scriptures – and be real… Jesus never waivers in His Love for us because He is the definition of Love – patient and kind, persevering for His flock… “My sheep know My voice – I give them Eternal Life – no man shall pluck them out of My Hand” (John 10)…
The human reality is this: We need to take the time to walk, pray, ponder… We can do this anywhere… how more calm we are when we talk out our news of the day with the Lord and with fellow travelers – and oh how awesome that we find out the answers come to us! Patiently pondering pays off…
Taking time in prayer means we need to be ready to WAIT for the answer rather than scramble to our quickest conclusion – if we pray on it, sleep on it, then often the answer comes to us. Jesus knows our internal steps as much as our external ones – He walks with us in our own paths – in our hearts – our souls – our minds…
Be Still and let Jesus help you sort out what may have been be-bopping around in your brain…
Instead of “interference” – listen for your “inner voice”…
Recently, I was sitting in a leadership training room and the concept of “interference” (jumbled brain distractions) was used as a stumbling block to getting things done… I sat there quietly to only hear my inner voice say: trade “interference” for “inner-voicing” – take the time to think – not interference but inner-voicing gives you the Truth to know what to do… (and that voice also says to not sweat the small stuff)
Walk thru thoughts, like singing, gives me time to think – because singing pulls away the part of my brain that could be muddling up my inner voice… driving and walking gives me time to think too… Being Still gives me ideas that pop like popcorn or float in like a breeze, or sound like a whisper… When I feel stress, I know I should take time to wait… to talk it out – walk it out – pray it out – LISTEN…
Talk it out to take it in…
Walk it out to wait it out…
Pray it out to pray it IN…
Then RUN to tell the Good News to those who are waiting to hear… you yourself may have the piece of their puzzle, that God needs you to drop into their internal conversation… if they are practicing patience in prayer too, then you may be able to plant a witnessing seed that God whispered to you for you to share…
How amazing – these two friends were talking when walking to Emmaus – and they had time with the Lord because of their discussions – they changed from faces downcast to doubts cast away. We can too – we can see the Light – we can feel the walk – we can know the rest of the story… We are saved…
Keep Practicing Patience in Prayer…
Keep walking…
Keep singing…
Keep the Faith…
Keep Sharing…
AMEN
PS: Walk by Faith not by sight (2nd Corinthians 5:7)
Luke 24:13-35 (NIV)
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 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?”
19 “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. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 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. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Debbie Upper 