TheRoadtoEmmaus

AdailydevotionalfortheForestdaleCommunityChurch

September12–16,2016

ANoteonthisyear’sdevotionalWhybeginandendeachdaywithstillness&silence?Inthisyear’sdevotional,eachentrybeginsandendswithtwominutesofstillness&silence.Oureverydayworldimposesitselfuponus,inundatinguswithnoisyandfret-filleddemands.Thesedemandscaneasilyconsumeallourresources,bothoutwardlyandinwardly.TheBibleteachesushowbesttoresistthem&freeourselvestobeopentoGod’sPresence:“BestillbeforetheLORDandwaitpatientlyforhim…”(Psalm37:7)"Bestill,andknowthatIamGod…”(Psalm46:10)Godisholy,three-timesholy,setapartfromtheworldinpurityandmajesticpower.TheLord’spresencemakesanyplacesacred.So,beforereading&prayer,welcomeHim,asyouwouldinviteanintimatefamilymemberintoyourhome.Instillness,readyyourself,andsimplyawaittheentryoftheBelovedOnethroughthedoorofyourheart&mind.SettleintoHiswordandrestinHislove.Inalittlewhile,youwillneedtoleavethissacredplaceandreturntotheworldinthesamewayyouenteredit.Mayyoufindthatworldabetterplacebecauseofyourtimeaway.

Monday: MakingtheConnectionBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Luke24:25-27

“Hesaidtothem,‘Howfoolishyouare,andhowslowofhearttobelieveallthattheprophetshavespoken!DidnottheChristhavetosufferthesethingsandthenenterhisglory?’AndbeginningwithMosesandalltheProphets,heexplainedtothemwhatwassaidinalltheScripturesconcerninghimself.”

Devotional

OntheroadtoEmmaus,JesusgavethosetwodisciplesoneofthemostamazingBiblestudiesever.HetaughtthemhowALLoftheScriptures–andJesuswasreferringspecificallytotheOldTestament–bearwitnesstoHim.Ineffect,Jesuswassayingtothem(andtous),“YoucannotreadtheOldTestamentwithoutreadingofme.YoucannotreadtheLawwithoutreadingofme.YoucannotreadtheHistorywithoutreadingofme.YoucannotreadthePsalmswithoutreadingofme.YoucannotreadtheProphetswithoutreadingofme.”

Thisiswhatwewanttodiscoverforourselvesthisyear:HowtoreadthewholeBibleanddiscoverJesusinit.Butmorethanjustlearning“aboutJesus”intheBible,weactuallywantto“meetJesus”there.LikethosedisciplesontheroadtoEmmaus,wewanttomovefromtheBibleStudyabout“theChrist,”to“thebreakingofthebreadwithJesus”andtherecognitionthattheChristisevennowrightherewithusbyHisHolySpirit. Question:WhatwoulditlooklikeforyoutocometoknowJesus

betterinthisyeartocome?Prayer: LordJesus,IinviteyoutomakeyourselfknowntomethisyearintheScriptures,andinmydailylife.HelpmetolearnmoreaboutyoufromtheBible,buttoalsomeetyouinmylife.Ithankyouthatyouknowme,andIaskforhelptoknowyoumore.Amen.BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Tuesday: PrayerBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Luke24:28-29

“Astheyapproachedthevillagetowhichtheyweregoing,Jesusactedasifheweregoingfarther.Buttheyurgedhimstrongly,‘Staywithus,foritisnearlyevening,thedayisalmostover.’Sohewentintostaywiththem.”

Devotional WhatwouldhavehappenedifthediscipleshadjustletJesusgoontowhereverheseemedtobeheaded?Whatiftheyhadnoturgedhimstronglytostayandeatwiththem?Itseemsobviousthattheywouldhavemissedoutontrulydiscoveringwhoitwasthatwaswiththem. PrayerisoneoftheprimarywaysinwhichwemovefromlearningaboutJesus,toactuallyspendingtimewithJesus.Andthetwothingsgohandinhand.WhatthediscipleshadlearnedabouttheChristfromtheScripturesastheywalkedalongtheroadwaswhatmotivatedthemtobegJesustostaywiththemandeatwiththem.Themoretheyknew,thegreatertheirdesiretobewithhim.ButtheystillhadtoinviteJesusto“staywithus.”Andthentheireyeswereopenedtofullydiscoverwhohewas.Question:WhatdoyouknowaboutJesusthatcouldmotivateyoutowanttospendmoretimewithhim?Prayer: “LordJesus,staywithmetoday.Bemycompanionontheway,kindlethatburningmyheart,awakenmyhope,andopenmyeyesthatImayknowyouasyouarerevealedintheScripturesandinthebreakingofbread.Amen.”BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Wednesday: RestBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Luke24:32

Theyaskedeachother,“WerenotourheartsburningwithinuswhilehetalkedwithusontheroadandopenedtheScripturestous?”

Devotional ThereisawonderfulcontrastintheRoadtoEmmausstorybetweenan“outercalm”andan“innerfire.”Theoutercalmisthatit’sastoryofthreepeoplesimplywalkingalongtheroadtogether.Theyaretalking,andwalking,andwhentheyarriveatthelittlevillageofEmmaustheysitdownandshareasimplemealtogether.TheinnerfireiswhatthetwodisciplessaywashappeninginsidethemthewholetimetheywerewithJesus.Youcouldn’tseeitfromtheoutside,butbothofthemagreethattheirheartswereburningwithinthemthewholetime. Thiscontrastisagoodimageforusofwhatthese“devotionaltimes”canbe:timesofstillnessandsilenceandoutercalm,whichcangiveJesustheopportunitytocomeandstiroursoulsandkindleaninnerfire.Takesometimerightnowtorestyourbody,andsitquietlyandcalmlyinHispresence.ReadtheshortpassageaboveandmakeityourprayerthatJesusmightcomeandstiryourheart(asintheprayerbelow).Question: HastherebeenatimeinyourlifewhentheLordhasspokenHisWordintoyourlifeinsuchawaythatyoufeltyourheart“burnwithinyou?”Prayer: Come,LordJesus,andopenYourWordtome.Speakyourtruthintomyheartandmind,andkindleaflameinmeagain.Amen.BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Thursday:RelationshipsBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture John5:39-40 “YousearchtheScripturesbecauseyouthinkthatinthemyouhaveeternallife;anditistheythatbearwitnessaboutme,yetyourefusetocometomethatyoumayhavelife.”Devotional AlbertMohlerwrites:“‘YousearchtheScriptures’describesaverygoodthing.JesuscertainlydoesnotcounselpeoplenottosearchtheScriptures.SearchingtheScripturesiswhatbelieversdo.Itiswhatwearetaughttodo.Itiswhatwerightlydo.ButwhatissohorribleandhumblingisthatpeoplecandevotetheirlivestosearchingtheScripturesyetmissthepoint–andnotbesaved.”

Wewanttobecarefulinourstudythisyearthatwedon’t‘missthepoint.’Jesus’desireisnotjustthatwecometoknowmoreabouthim,butthatweactuallycometoknowHIM.ForitisinknowingJesusthatwefindlife.Thegoalisrelationship.AnditisbylovingGodandlovingothersthatweactuallycometo“fulfilltheScriptures”ourselves.(Matthew22:37-40,Romans13:8-10)Question: HowmuchdoIknowaboutJesus,andhowwelldoIpersonallyknowJesus?Prayer: “Openmyeyes,Lord,IwanttoseeJesus;

ToreachoutandtouchHim,andsaythatIloveHim.Openmyears,Lord,andhelpmetolisten.Openmyeyes,Lord,IwanttoseeJesus.”Amen.

BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Friday: WorkLifeBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Luke24:33-35

TheygotupandreturnedatoncetoJerusalem.TheretheyfoundtheElevenandthosewiththem,assembledtogetherandsaying,“Itistrue!TheLordhasrisenandhasappearedtoSimon.”Thenthetwotoldwhathadhappenedtothemontheway,andhowJesuswasrecognizedbythemwhenhebrokethebread.

Devotional HavingdiscoveredtherisenJesus,thefirstthingthetwodiscipleswantedtodowasgoandtellothersthegoodnews!TheyhadalreadyjustwalkedthesevenmilesfromJerusalemtoEmmaus,but“theygotupandreturnedatoncetoJerusalem!”Itwasnoproblemtoretracesevenmilesworthofstepsinordertoproclaimthegoodnewstoothersofwhattheynowknewforthemselves:Jesusreallyisalive,andheiswithus. TheprimarycallingforallofusistobewitnessesofwhatwehaveseenandheardandexperiencedofJesusinourlives.OurgoalistopointotherstoJesussothattheytoomightknowthegoodnewsandexperiencehislifeandloveforthemselves.Question:WhathaveyouseenandheardandexperiencedofJesusthispastweekinyourlife,andwhommightyoutell? Prayer LordJesus,helpmetopayattentiontothemanywaysinwhichyoumakeyourselfknowntomeeachweek.Helpmetoremembersuchmoments,andsavorthemas“sacred.”Helpmealsotosharesuchmomentswithothers,sothattheytoomightcometoknowthatyouarealive,andyouarewithus.Amen.BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)