He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk along?” // Luke 24:17
Today I’m struck by the fact that Jesus asks these men walking the lonely road to Emmaus what they are talking about, what is disturbing them. Why would Jesus need to ask? He is God; He knows their hearts. He definitely knows what has happened in the last few days. He knows how difficult the circumstances have been for believers in the fallout of His death. Why does He ask?
The fact that Jesus asks them bothers me. It bothers me because Jesus has asked me that question, "Why are you upset?" at times in my life where I was flailing and struggling in ways that He should have known!
He did, of course, know why I was upset. But Jesus asked not to torture or bother me further, but to give me the opportunity to express myself and to share my heart with Him to a greater degree. And I think that’s why He asks these believers on the road, to give them the opportunity to share themselves with Him.
In seeking this deeper understanding Jesus shows us yet again that He is not a god of magic who takes away our suffering with a snap of His fingers. He doesn’t appear along the road to magically make these men feel better when all seems lost.
He is not a god whom we access by rote box checking, or performance, or even download good outcomes by inputting prayer as some kind of formal transaction.
Jesus is the Lord Who wants not to be a removed creator, but the maker of our souls who wants to know us in relationship. A relationship is built on communication, even communicating the negative emotions, damaging experiences, and how hardships affect us. Jesus wants to hear the why and how of our thoughts and feelings.
Living life in relationship with Jesus is what will make our hearts burn within us with His love.
Is anything happening in your life right now that you are holding back revealing your thoughts or emotions to Jesus? Share them with Him now.
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Christy Isinger is a cradle Catholic, wife, and mother of five teenagers from western Canada. During the short Canadian summers she tries to garden and grow flowers, while in the long cold winters she reads a lot of books, writes, and homeschools. Her Substack newsletter can be found at christyisinger.substack.com.
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