“They had not advanced far on their journey when they were joined by a stranger. But they were so absorbed in their gloom and disappointment that they did not observe him closely. They continued their conversation, expressing the thoughts of their hearts. They were reasoning in regard to the lessons that Christ had given, which they seemed unable to comprehend” (Desire of Ages, p. 795).
The Fog of Disillusionment
The seeds of hope and triumph were in the words that Christ had given them before His death. But they were in a fog of disillusionment. It was as if Christ had never told them what to expect.
What has Jesus told us that we are missing today? Are we so focused on the gloom and doom of our current national and political conversation that we can’t see what God is doing? Yes, the world is going to hell, but not everyone with it! Conversions and “hallelujah moments” are happening every day! Lives are being transformed. The “gospel train” is barreling through every city and village on this planet. Jesus is doing something this world has never seen, and it is truly incredible!
The Wrong Focus
“He said unto them, ‘What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Art Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?’ They told Him of their disappointment in regard to their Master, ‘which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;’ but ‘the chief priests and our rulers,’ they said, ‘delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him.’ With hearts sore with disappointment, and with quivering lips, they added, ‘We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done’” (Desire of Ages, p. 796).
In other words, the disciples were focused on the gloom and doom of what had recently happened instead of the words of hope and promise that Christ had given them. Their problem was not what had happened to Jesus. It was what they had allowed to happen to the words of promise that He had prophetically shared before His death. They were focused on the wrong thing!
What are you focused on today? It is easy to become so stressed with everyday problems that we have very little time to think about Jesus or the lessons of Scripture. But if we let them, God’s promises can so transform our thinking that we become ambassadors of hope in an age of despair!
If you liked this, you might also like About My Heart | Ten Ways to Think Like a Wise Person.
Rich DuBose writes from Northern California.
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