Yesterday I had an opportunity to go with some of my husband’s family on a drive through the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a suburban full of women and we were all giddy making our requests to see wildlife. Since we had my mother in law on board who is an “expert African safari tour guide”, and her sister driving us who is a local to the area, we were sure we’d see something. Off we go sharing stories as ladies do when suddenly I scream over my sweet mother in law—“MOOSE!” Aunt Pat hits her brakes and turns into the nearest stop area so we can get a glimpse of this creature. A few brave souls climb out (including yours truly)and get fairly close to the moose, who was thankfully too preoccupied with eating to bother with a few of us snapping it’s picture. On we went to discover a few more wildlife creatures including about a dozen elk and a mother and baby moose. Of course these had all been uttered prayers by our excited hearts.
On a couple of occasions, a few of us would be out of the car sneaking pictures of wildlife as cars would zoom by. One time we were pointing right at a deer and the car passing us looked to the completely opposite side of the road missing the beautiful animal. The most astonishing moment was when the elk family emerged from the trees only yards from the entrance to the park. Even though we were crouched down taking pictures, most cars drove right past probably assuming that surely nothing exciting could be that obvious and easy to spot.
Moments before I sat down to write, I’m sitting outside on a beautiful deck overlooking the mountains and a creek below me, when I suddenly see and hear several family members shout through the window. Startled, I tried to translate their lips and thought they were saying ,”heater!” It’s chilly and I have a heater above me that I did eventually turn on. However I realized they were saying,”DEER!” I turned to spot 4 deer right before my eyes walking through the yard. What’s even more entertaining is that a car load of family (mainly men) who had not gone to the park the day before were leaving the driveway in search of such wildlife as the deers crossed the road in front of them.
These thoughts brought me back to what I was reading this morning in Luke chapter 24. Jesus has just died and rose again. There are women who come to find His body at the tomb to properly prepare Him for burial, but instead find an empty tomb and two angels. Not what they were expecting. Then you have Peter in utter confusion at what has taken place. Following that story are two disciples who take a walk where Jesus shows up and they say to Him unknowing who He is, ” we were hoping that it was He…” Hope deferred had set into all of these hearts.
The disciples had every right in their own experience to be sad, disillusioned, and fearful. Yet, they were looking the wrong direction. Often, the ways of rejoicing in The Lord come from places of identifying with the suffering of Christ and allowing the difficult questions to lead us to the depths of the word of God. When we walk alongside Jesus and hear the word of God, our hearts should “burn within us” as did the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The truth is in fact that He is drawing near to us daily, pointing us to His word and pulling on our heart strings to respond to Him.
I might have been able to spot a moose easily, but am I as quick to notice Jesus speaking to me? How many of us are like the two disciples walking along our own road of “sorrow” and not even knowing what is being said to us by the Spirit of God? Sometimes I know I am just as blinded as they must have been that day. Things haven’t gone the way I’d hoped, I feel alone, discouraged or despaired. Yet on my walks of shame, guilt,anger, confusion and hope deferred, Jesus reveals Himself. I have a choice in those walks to either lean into my own heart, or recognize His glorious presence. I desire that my eyes would be enlightened to the truth of God’s word in those moments. What is encouraging is that the disciples’ eyes in Luke 24 WERE opened and they were able to go and share the good news with others about their encounter. Jesus later addresses His disciples and validates the entire word of God and shares that even a greater promise of the power of the Holy Spirit is still yet to come. The next instruction was again, to trust and wait.
As I conclude this, a little squirrel is running in circles around me and made me smile. My prayer for you today is that as you would be conscious of the beauty, joy and faithfulness of our Lord Jesus today. Christ knows what road you’re walking down and wants to encounter you. He is near and there are incredible things that you’ll miss if you look to what the world, your own heartache or the enemy tells you. Renounce the lies you’re believing today, and let your heart burn within and I believe your eyes will be open to His goodness and truth of God’s word.
Scripture to read: Luke 24
Song to listen to: Draw Near by Bethel (Jeremy Riddle)