Luke 24:30 “When he (Jesus) was at the table with them (the disciples), he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 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?”
Do you spend time in the Bible for information? Do you focus on knowing new things over feeling and believing new things?
The above comment by the Emmaus disciples is worth musing about.
Do our hearts burn within us when God brings his word of truth to us?
Literally the reflection of the disciples was this: “Were not our hearts on fire within us?”
At the time Jesus was speaking, the disciples didn’t know it was Jesus. It seems as if Jesus wanted to shift the focus from himself as a physical teacher to allow the Word of God, regardless of the presenter, to do the work on their hearts. He didn’t want to be a distraction to the power of the Spirit at work in the Word.
The Word of God is given to change the heart before it changes one’s actions. How often do we perhaps read the Bible to get an answer of “what to do” before we read the Bible to affect “what we believe”?
Many times in Scripture God prioritizes the heart. He wants the heart to change by the power of his word because he knows that when the heart changes, what comes out of that heart changes. Read and listen to the Word for your heart’s sake.
Matthew 22:37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Isaiah 29:13 The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
The Word of God has power to affect the heart no matter who the presenter of that Word. Jesus could have revealed to the disciples who he was right away, but he allowed the truth of the Scripture to speak for itself. After he revealed himself, he disappeared and he just let the Word he shared linger in their hearts.
Jesus was a powerful teacher. However, after his resurrection he knew he would not remain in the world in physical form; he allowed the Word of God to bring the power to the disciples’ hearts.
The reality for us? Enjoy those that bring you the Word of God, but remember the power of the Word of God is that it is the Word of God and not the words of men!
The heart that is on fire sparks a life that is on fire. The disciples could not keep their experience to themselves.
Luke 24:33 “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
When God moves our hearts, he moves us to act. The power of what the disciples heard and their encounter with the risen Jesus compelled them to return to Jerusalem and share what they had heard and seen.
The Word does the same for us today … it sets our hearts on fire to live for our risen Savior!
Lord God, thank you for your Word and your Spirit that works to change our hearts. Let all of us be driven by hearts that are on fire for you! Amen.