THE ROAD

 

“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures, the distance narrows and the spirituality returns. I find myself loving more intensely those whom I must love with all my heart, mind and strength, and loving them more, I find it easier to abide their counsel.”

-        President Spencer W. Kimball (as quoted from Seek The Spirit of the Lord by Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign April 1988, p 2)

Nothing testifies to me more of the importance of scriptures than the story of the Saviour meeting two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus post resurrection. The travellers told Him they ‘trusted’ the Galilean was the Messiah who would redeem Israel but were now sceptical because He had died (Luke 24:21).

The Saviour was gracious even though He chided them for their unbelief (v 25). He then expounded to them all that was prophesied of Him ‘beginning at Moses and all the prophets’ (v27). His point was, ‘how is it that you know the scriptures but you don’t believe them’?

These two disciples indeed came to believe. Upon heartfelt reflection they identified how: “Did not our hearts burn within us….while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

Luke tells us that these disciples’ eyes were restrained from knowing Him (v 16a). Could it be that it was more important for Jesus that they believed on Him through the scriptures than through showing them His resurrected body because the lesson is this: the ‘burn’ comes from only one place: The Holy Ghost.

The lesson is also this: the Saviour is in our midst STILL through the medium of The Holy Ghost. It is he who can open our eyes and our hearts so that we will not only believe but KNOW Christ. And where is the Christ most if not in the scriptures? If we study the scriptures without the presence of the Holy Ghost we are just building upon our knowledge and not our testimony.

We need to feel ‘the burn’ to know. We all know what we must do to be worthy of the sacred companionship of the Holy Ghost. As you travel on your personal road to Emmaus may the scriptures be burnt upon the tablets of your heart and may you know, and not just believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. He is the Resurrection and the life. He is the Redeemer of your soul. He is the road……

I gave you My all:

My heart, my body, my soul.

I paved the way

And conquered death.

I am in your midst;

I am the only,

I am the last,

And I am the first.

 - CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: Emmaus by Liz Lemon Swindle)