The Unchanging One

“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’” (Luke 24:30-32)

After the Lord had entered the house in Emmaus, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to the two disciples. Even on the day of His greatest triumph, He did not act recklessly, but remained the completely dependent Man, Who thanked God for the food and served the people. Just as He had thanked in former times for the five loaves and the two fish, or for the seven loaves and the few small fish, He did here also. He is the same—before and after His resurrection. This is also true with regard to His ascension, for Paul writes, “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:10).

The two disciples were downcast (see Luke 24:17). The faith of these two was only like a glowing wick which was about to go out. Isaiah had written of Christ, “a faintly burning wick he will not quench” (Isa. 42:3). This is exactly what we see here: He opened the scriptures to them about His Person and thereby rekindled their faith, so that a short time later they could say, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?” (Luke 24:32).

Are you feeling depressed and disappointed at the moment because things have turned out differently to what you had hoped? It is precisely on such days that the Lord wants to be especially close to you and give you a deep awareness of His love. God comforts those who are downhearted (see 2 Cor. 7:6)!

J.P.S.