Did Not Our Hearts Burn Within?

Luke 24:25-41 25And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, "Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over." So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon." They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

The resurrected Jesus appears to these disciples and they don't recognize Him. For some strange reason God is cloaking himself. Jesus isn't exactly trying to win friends here, because He calls them "foolish". Yet He goes on to reveal Himself to these men, the same way He reveals Himself to us today--through the scriptures.

"He acted as though He were going further. But they urged Him, stay with us..." Oh friends this is so incredible. He was going to leave yet they urged Him to stay and He did. Why did Jesus do it this way? Because He was showing us a picture of how He reveals Himself to us. He comes to introduce us to Himself through the scriptures. Yet many have read the scriptures and never encountered Him. Had they not urged Him to stay, I believe Jesus would have gone on without revealing Himself to them. Because God responds to the hungry. Asking the questions: "Do you really want to know me? Do you really want to follow me? Whatever the cost?"

It has been sugested by some that Hunger(spiritual) is the currency of heaven. When Jesus said blessed are the hungry they shall be filled, He wasn't speaking of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Rather He was saying those who hunger for me, the bread of life shall be filled.

They sat down to eat a meal together. Jesus lifted the bread and blessed it in prayer. Here in the place of prayer the encounter the living divine presence of Jesus. Their eyes are opened to Taste and see that the Lord is good. After they realized it was Jesus, He vanished.

It is through His word and the intimate place of prayer that we encounter Jesus. He shows a little, and to the hungry He shows a little more. After we are filled; more revelation or understanding of the God comes to when hunger, desire, longing, is stirred again!

When He touches our hearts we too can say: "Did not our hearts burn within?" That's what He does sets hearts ablaze with love!