Prayer for Illumination
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
—Clara
Scott, Open my Eyes (1895)
Luke 24:13-35
Now that same day two of them were
going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were
talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and
discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along
with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, “What are you
discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces
downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to
Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they
replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the
people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to
death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was
going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this
took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb
early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they
had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions
went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not
see.”
He said to them, “How foolish you
are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the
Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning
with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the
Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to
which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they
urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost
over.” So he went in to stay with them.
When he was at the table with them,
he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their
eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked
with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
They got up and returned at once to
Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then
the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them
when he broke the bread. TNIV
O Thou who this mysterious bread
didst in Emmaus break,
return, herewith our souls to feed
and to thy followers speak.
Unseal the volume of thy grace,
apply the gospel word;
open our eyes to see thy face,
our hearts to know the Lord.
Of thee communing still, we mourn
till thou the veil remove;
talk with us, and our hearts shall
burn
with flames of fervent love.
Enkindle now the heavenly zeal,
and make thy mercy known,
and give our pardoned souls to feel
that God and love are one.
—
Charles Wesley, 1707-1788, Hymns on the Lord’s Supper #29
story immersion practice: practicing resurrection
Secret service—hidden-—when you
give—let us love one another— love is from God—secrecy tests love.
Often times, faith grows best in
secret. Remember Jesus’ teaching about
giving, prayer and fasting? (see Matthew 6) In each instance he tells us to “do
it in secret,” unto our Father. He promises that when the Father sees what is
done in secret he will reward you. There’s something about keeping our good
works secret that clarifies our faith. We are not seeking recognition; to be
thought well of. We are not seeking to create a debt that another feels obliged
to repay. When good is done in secret, we are signing our faith to God. This is
how faith begins to work its way out in love. The 50 days of Easter provide a
wonderful opportunity to practice resurrection in this way.
