heart burn

Last night, I went to bed rather late and looked at my clock and realized it was midnight. Easter. So, I lit my little wall sconce and opened my Bible to read the resurrection account from Luke. I read about Jesus walking to Emmaus with two disciples,

"As they came near the village to which they were going, Jesus walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, 'Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?' That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, 'The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!' Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread."

I was especially struck by the disciples recognizing Jesus when he broke bread with them, and then him vanishing. Once he was gone, they said "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us...?" What a testimony this is. I think we have moments in our lives when God breaks bread with us and we recognize God in our presence. My glimpses of grace are meant to chronicle moments like this. These are the moments that sustain us in our lives, because often, after a recognition moment, God seems to vanish. And when we find God seems a bit farther away, these are the times we are meant to reflect and on those "heart-burning" moments in our walk with God.

As I read about Jesus being made known in the breaking of bread, I was moved emotionally at how poignant God's presence had been for me when I recently broke bread. And I was reminded that such a moment isn't just to make me feel good or validated--it's to sustain me on this road. It's to sustain me in those moments where God seems to vanish, and remind me that God will always be made known to me in the breaking of bread, whatever side of the table I happen to be on.

I wish you all "heart-burn" this Easter! May God walk with you, teach you, feed you and the Spirit burn within you, so that it's all you can do to cry "The Lord has risen indeed!"