Luke 24:1-35
The stone is rolled away.
The tomb is empty…devoid of “Hope.”
The empty space echoes the silence…the sound of confusion.
The hollow cavern of what has passed, beckons them in.
The inexplicable rattles around in their heads.
They stand absorbing the darkness into the very fibres of their being. They are adrift in a sea of pain…. lost!
They have come bearing their reasoning, for what they are unable to accept or explain, as perfumes and ointments to embalm, soothe and preserve any explanations and perceptions for what they have experienced, for what they now see…. but can’t resolve.
Seeping into their very souls is the realisation that their intent did not align with Heaven’s mission. The graveclothes of disappointment lie folded. They don’t understand.
Suddenly the place is illuminated…to show it for what it is! An empty space…a place for dead things! No rhyme or reason to remain.
A voice reminds them…. why are you here?
God’s voice above reason speaks…a privileged glimpse of things yet unseen, undiscovered, unrevealed.
Hope revived! He is risen!
They are told not to linger here. It’s done. Finished!
The place in which they stand has had its day. It is now no longer relevant to the unfolding story. The past is redeemed!
Hope remembered!
Women, whose testimony is culturally unaccepted, given the news and instructions to deliver to the confused followers.
Responsibility now rests in the recall of revelation, the receiving of it by others in the hands of the Holy Spirit to convict. The others, and the eleven are shellshocked and in disbelief, even considering this news.
The Emmaus Road…..
Two apostles.
A walk of defeat, disbelief, disappointment…backs turned against Jerusalem, leaving behind their shattered hopes and unmet expectations, to return to a life once lived.…comfortable, predictable…a life before Hope arrived.
They walk together…gravitating towards like-minded, mulling over the details, coming to an uneasy alliance with others jilted and struggling with the unjustness of all they’ve witnessed and experienced. It is cold comfort.
The risen Lord walks with them…unrecognised.
He listens. No surprises at their lack of understanding as they recount events…even now no realisation of Who He is, Who has been and now is, in their midst. Scriptures supporting all that has just unfolded before their eyes are unveiled by The Living Word.
Jesus moves to walk on, yet something compels the two to invite Him to stay.
It is in the intimate…. in the breaking of bread…the partaking of Him…with Him…that eyes are opened. It is in the confession of faith…
Hope recognised!
It is here that it dawns on them that the answer is not in the walking away, but in the walking towards…..not to return to the heart shattering event or circumstances….not to relive the pain or rehash the negative details of who did what to whom….but to return to Jerusalem…the “City of Peace”, …because its within its walls that redemption is found….
Hope reignited!
Shaken out of apathy, hearts inspired, the apostles returned to seek the truth at the place where they left off and abandoned their dreams…because therein lies the answer…God’s greatest revelation and gift….
Hope resurrected!!
With thanks to:
Lyn Henderson, Vanessa Hall, Jeff Roorda for feedback and comments
Photo:
bruno-van-der-kraan-v2HgNzRDfII-unsplash (1)
Lovely. Thanks for aharinfy