Their Eyes Were Open

THEIR EYES WERE OPENED AND THEY RECOGNIZED HIM, BUT HE DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR SIGHT. Luke 24.31.

My wife and I often get upset as we witness the dire need of the people in the Church and in the world around us. We get depressed when we recognise our sheer impotence as Christians to rise up and meet those needs in the mighty name of our risen Lord Jesus. Didn’t He send us into the world to be His witnesses in the power of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 1.8). He said, “As the Father has sent me so have I sent you into the world” (Jn 20.21). Jesus said, “The works I did and even greater works than these you will do!” (Jn 14.12). The last words of the risen Lord to us was, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28.18).

Each Sunday, thousands of us worship the Lord in our churches singing and shouting to the Lord with a loud noise, making melody to Him with our musical instruments. I honestly believe we are seeking the presence and power of the Almighty One to be manifested among His people.

I pray to God, “Lord God, we are doing our very best to exalt You and give You all the glory. We can do nothing more. But now it is up to You to rent the heavens and come down in power and mercy and visit us in our low estate. Let Your glory fill this place as You did it for Israel. O! that Your outstretched arm and mighty hand may once again begin to work for us as it did for them. Come Lord! Touch each one of us at the point of our need and restore and satisfy us!”

Often as we break the bread and drink of the cup of communion, we sing longingly, “If now, with eyes defiled and dim, We see the signs, but see not Him; O may His love the scales displace, And bid us see Him face to face!” (C H Spurgeon 1866).

But how wonderful and satisfying it would have been if, 'Jesus sat down with us, took the bread, and said the blessing; then broke the bread and gave it to us. Then our eyes will be opened and we will recognise him, and he will disappear from our sight!' But He had said, "I will not part take of the wine until I come in My kingdom". But think of it, if He drops in and does for us what He did for those two disciples, what a day it will be! What a dream come true!

It is my prayer (it has always been!) and I believe it would be the prayer of all His people, to give us an all-transforming experience of that of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. Their eyes were opened and they recognised the risen Saviour Jesus Christ! Think of them before they saw the Lord, and after He met with them and they recognised Him.

Dear believer, that is what will happen to you when you have a personal encounter with the risen Lord! There will come a power from the Lord that will take you past your sorrow, pain, disappointment and disbelief to unspeakable joy in knowing that He is alive and with you! God is your refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psa 46.1).

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, every time I enter Your holy temple, let me come with a passionate desire for my eyes to be opened that I may see Your presence and power! Amen.