SCRIPTURE
“And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.” Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Exodus 6:8-9
OBSERVATION
Just like the men on the road to Emmaus who were so discouraged and downcast they couldn’t even recognize Jesus walking alongside them, the people of Israel had no room left in their hearts for hope. It didn’t matter how inspiring the words of Moses were, all they could hear was the deafening sound of discouragement. It wasn’t a matter of God being with them, they were just too discouraged to recognize that God was with them. It didn’t matter that Jesus was literally walking and talking with them, they were too discouraged to hear anything but their doubts and fears. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” (Lk. 24:30-31).
APPLICATION
Pastor Wayne says it this way, “If we are looking for evidence of God’s presence, we will see Him everywhere we go. If we are looking for evidence of God’s absence we will see that too.” Ultimately discouragement is literally the removing of courage and hope from our hearts. Because of mounting trials, disheartening circumstances and unmet expectations we can become deaf to the voice of the Lord and the moving of God around us. It’s only when we return again to the communion table that our eyes are opened to the fact that Jesus has been with us all along the way. It’s only when we stop listening to the lies that nothing is ever going to change that we can hear His voice that changes us from the inside out. Every day is an opportunity to see Jesus in a new way and if I’m looking for Him I will see Him.Some may feel that Jesus is a million miles away when He is literally walking right beside us.
PRAYER
Lord, I don’t want to be like the Israelites who couldn’t hear any words except the threats of their slave owners. I don’t want to be like the men on the road to Emmaus who couldn’t see Jesus walking right alongside of them. This is a call to get alone with You, to break bread with You, to look for evidences of Your presence rather than Your absence. Use me to come alongside others who think they are wandering alone and are wondering if there really is a God who will deliver them. Your presence is with me. Help me to show You are with them as well. Open my ears to hear You has never before no matter how discouraging life may get.
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