Death and Life

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-26

¹³ And behold, on that same day, two of them were traveling to a village named Emmaus that was sixty stadia(11220 meters) distant from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were conversing with one another about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ And it happened that while they were conversing, and discussing, Jesus himself also approached and began to go along with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. ¹⁷ And he said to them, “What are these matters that you are discussing with one another as you are walking along?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ And one of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to him, “Are you the only one living near Jerusalem and not knowing the things that have happened in it in these days?” ¹⁹ And he said to them, “What things?” So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, a man who was a prophet, powerful in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to a sentence of death, and crucified him. ²¹ But we were hoping that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. But in addition to all these things, this is the third day since these things took place. ²² But also some women from among us astonished us, who were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came back saying they had seen even a vision of angels, who said that he was alive! ²⁴ And some of those with us went out to the tomb and found it like this, just as the women had also said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ And he said to them, “O foolish and slow in heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into his glory?” from the Lexham English Bible (LEB)

Key Verse: They stood still, their faces downcast (Luke 24:17)

Meditation: Death hurts. It separates us from the physical presence of the deceased person Even Jesus wept as He stood at the tomb of Lazarus Paul expected us to sorrow in our loss. But he did us that we do not Sorrow as those with no hope.

I read about a young missionary mother who died of cancer at age of 43. She left her husband and four children ages eight to 18. On the lid of her casket her husband had written, “I am not here. I’m out with I’ll be back at the last trump.”
 
D. L. Moody once said, “Someday you will read in the newspaper that D. L. Moody is dead. Don’t believe it, for at that moment I will be more alive than ever I was alive on earth.” Later, when he was close to death, he said, “Earth is receding. Heaven is appearing. God is  calling me home.”

God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. No longer will there he any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will he in the city. They will see his
face and his name will he on their forehead (Revelation 21:4,22-25, 22:3-5)
 
Thought for the Day: Since each of us as Christians has the  eternal quality of life here, we know death is our transition to a fuller dimension of the eternal life we already hold.

I realize the focus of the devotional here is upon the sadness of the two followers of Christ. They on the road to a warm place of hot baths and they were wondering what really was happening. They were looking at the why? Why did their Master have to go? Perhaps they were trying to cheer themselves up with a refreshing bit of respite.  What do you do when you are sad, in a valley of depression? 
And that is exactly where God met them. They had to invite Him though. 
They had not found any answers in their pursuit of "why?". They were ready for the words from Jesus and the scriptures. They needed to know what was going on.  And God took the time to show them everything. That is over 1000 years of history that he was revealing to them.  He was giving them a similar scroll that was given to Ezekiel..

“He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. He said to me, Mortal, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.” (Ezekiel 3:1-3)

Personally, I find what when I am depressed, that is the time I  spend more time with an open Bible and more time in prayer. It is in the valley that the river of life flows easier. That is were the grass is watered and the shade from the trees are more inviting.  Psalms 23 also comes to mind. That is were I stop and try to figure things out. And is where these two travelers were on this day.  They did not need a miracle. They only needed the written word of the Comforter.And that is what Jesus provided.