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
