A Walk To Remember : From Burdened Hearts To Burning Hearts
A Walk To Remember : From Burdened Hearts To Burning Hearts
They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Luke 24:32
After the crucifixion and death of Christ , the disciples had burdened hearts. They were experiencing disappointments over the death of Christ. They were so disappointed that the messianic kingdom they were expecting to come through JesusChrist did not materialize. Their much awaited deliverance from the Roman rule did not happen. They had been waiting for so long for the coming of the Messiah to give them freedom from Roman rule and to make the nation Israel to be a powerful nation once again. They were expecting that Christ would change their circumstances and were so disappointed that God did not do what they wanted Him to do. Their mindset is confined only on earthly things.
Jesus saw these disciples as foolish for they had hearts that were slow to believe and comprehend the things of God. Jesus expected them to know the Scriptures and believe all of it. Then Jesus beginning with Moses and all the prophets explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. Jesus saw that what these burdened hearts needed most was not a spectacular miracle but the Word of God. The Word of God is the most powerful weapon in the christian’s hand. It is more powerful than signs and wonders. It is the most effective weapon in Evangelism. The Spirit of God is alive in His Word. During times of disappointments what we need the most is the Word of God. It is the most effective source of comfort.
Jesus explained the Word to the disciples as a “stranger” to show future teachers and preachers of the Bible that the power is not in the person but in the truth. JesusChrist is the central theme of the Scriptures. The whole of Old Testament all pointed to JesusChrist.
By the time they reached Emmaus, their hearts too have made a journey : from burdened hearts to burning hearts. Their burning hearts are not a product of some ecstatic sensational experience, but as a result of the light of God’s Word being illumined in their hearts. When the warmth of God’s love is shed in their hearts as the Scriptures were explained to them, they began to see Christ in His beauty and greatness. And this is sufficient to turn their hearts from burdened hearts to burning hearts. When we truly see the beauty and glory of Christ in His Word , it is sufficient to turn our sorrows and disappointments into joy.