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Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him (Luke 24:13-16).

Apart for some of Jesus’ parables, this story is one of the more beloved episodes of our Lord’s life. Treasured, not because of its suspense, but its space for meditation. It’s a slow story, simple, profound, and rather poignant.

Two of Jesus disciples (many suspect that the second was Cleopas’ wife) have left Jerusalem for home. They may have entered the city a week ago along with Jesus on that donkey, with high hopes of a turning point in Israel’s fortune. Israel’s long-awaited Messiah had arrived. But everything has disintegrated. If Jesus had been the one to redeem Israel, he should have been defeating the pagans, not dying at their hands!

Its likely that they are on their way home, wondering how to start life over. They had pinned everything on Jesus. Now he was dead. He last words, “It is finished” still rang in their ears. Imprinted on their memories, that last breath, along with the image of his lifeless body hanging limp on the cross.

That was Friday. Now its late Sunday. A story began circulating early in the day that he was alive. Some of their friends had seen him. But that is crazy. Dead people just don’t come back to life. Yes, of course, Lazarus had, but that was Jesus’ doing. Now he is dead. Who is there to bring him back to life?

It is all too much. They left the city and, on the way, went over events again and again, trying to make sense of it all. Why had their expectations of the Messiah come to such a tragic end? And what were they to do with this story that he was alive again? They could not piece it together. Too many questions and too few answers.

As they talk, Jesus joins them though they do not realize it is him. Their eyes are “kept from recognizing him.” And here we pause and ask ‘why’? Why don’t they recognize him? Some have postulated that Jesus was somehow different from before, already a little glorious.

Maybe it’s a case of “We see what we expect to see”. Their conversation has been heavy with sorrow, disappointment, and bewilderment; their hearts are so full with pain, they don’t really see the stranger who has joined them. They don’t expect him to be alive, so they can’t see him when he joins them.

Or maybe God just closed their eyes for a while. Luke doesn’t tell us.

An experience with the living God was what they wanted; but though he came to them, and walked alongside them, their hearts were too full of brokenness to notice him right there with them.

Let’s pause the story here for today. As disciples of Jesus, we may find ourselves in the very same place. We live with dashed hopes and dreams. Life is full of disappointments. We may even be disappointed with God. And yet we long for God.

If you’re in such a space, take time to sit there today.

Now notice that Jesus joins them in their walk home. He is there with them, even though they do not recognize him. It is Psalm 23 in action.

We can be sure that Jesus walks with us too. Like these two disciples, we may not notice at first. We assume God will show up in certain ways, so when he appears differently, we don’t see him, at least, not at first. Often, God is not like we expect him to be, he is like himself. And that is good.