Friday, August 09, 2013

(Reprise) Dead Man: A Dead Man Walking

After these things I was aware of two men traveling by foot on an ancient road.

I knew who they were somehow, as I also knew their destination. Although I was far from them, as before with the Magdalene, I overheard their conversation along the way.

They spoke of the One in whom they had hoped and whom they had followed, who had seemed to be the fulfillment of the longing of their hearts; for themselves and for their captive nation. Underneath their discourse was a deep despair. Where was God in all this darkness?

Then they saw Him but did not know who He was.

How often in human experience has that happened, I wondered, as I observed from the outskirts of Heaven. How many times have we remained unaware of the One who is Hope, and through stubborn hopelessness, been unable to perceive Him?

And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”

Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”

"What things?" he asked gently, referring to the momentous events of the previous three days. I could not help but note the irony of his question.

So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”

O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

I found myself astonished at the softness and grace of His rebuke.

And then as they walked along the road to Emmaus together, rather than excoriate them for their willful unbelief, He bestowed upon them a teaching from the Source of Wisdom.

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

I wanted to spend all the rest of eternity listening to His Words, marveling at the unending richness and depth of their meaning and purpose. Words that had the power to create all reality, or to destroy it. Words that gave life. Words that were life.

"You will," said my companion on the Balcony. "That is the destiny of all His children by faith."

I sighed in real sadness then, as the visions faded, and I was once more merely me, in my own mind. And I was so very, very tired. I would have thought that exhaustion was not possible in Heaven, and then I recalled that I was just on the Periphery, not very close at all to the Throne.

"Come, walk with me," he said.

I was reminded of what I used to say to my young children when they complained of being tired.

"Dad, I can't walk anymore! I'm too exhausted! It's too far to home!"

"Run!" I would say, "You'll get there that much sooner!"

And off they would go, trusting me enough to overcome their natural skepticism that increased effort would invigorate, rather than deplete, their store of energy.

It didn't work for me at that moment, though, even as I found myself along the same Forest path that he had brought me to earlier.

"I can barely put one foot in front of another," I whined. "I am so very tired!"

"I know," said a gentle Voice.

It was not my companion.

© Bill Lilley 2011, 2013