Mark 16:12-14

Mark 16:12-14  Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.  These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.  Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

Luke 24:13-16  Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.  They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.  As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. 

How often do we walk along and not recognize that Jesus is with us?  In a world filled with competing activities, thoughts, demands, and voices, we sometimes don't recognize Jesus walking along with us.  We don't hear his footsteps, for we are cloistered within our own needs, thoughts and circumstances.  Jesus' voice seems far away from us in those moments.  In today's passage, Jesus is disturbed with the disciples for their refusal to believe He has been resurrected and is walking among them.  They were refusing to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.  However, the disciples knew full well the circumstances of his horrible death.  Life after that horrible death was hard to accept.  How could Jesus be alive?  The above passage shows us that his disciples were rational men, not hysterical fanatics or mystics.  But Jesus still rebuked them for their lack of faith.  Otherwise, Jesus expected them to believe even though their natural minds said that the resurrection could not have happened.  

Because Christ rose from the dead, we Christians can come to God boldly and present our petitions before him.  Every day by faith, we have the opportunity to believe God is with us and to know Jesus is integrally involved with our lives.  Every day we can chose to believe we are the "peculiar people" spoken of in the Bible, those who have the divine Comforter constantly in our lives, imbuing us with the power of his presence.  Or we Christians can be faithless and not believe any of that.  Regardless of our belief in his reality, Jesus is walking with us.  We are his adopted brothers and sisters, born into the family of God.  Therefore, He will not forsake or abandon us.  However, in our weakness, we sometimes do not believe the spiritual realities of our existence wholeheartedly.  The world just seems too big, too hard for us to understand.  Perhaps our lives are not going the way we planned or there are too many voices, saying too many things. That is when we need to be able to RECOGNIZE HIS PRESENCE.  That is when we need to perceive the Spirit of God within us. That is when we need to hear HIS VOICE and listen to his words.  

Many times I find myself quieting my spirit and listening attentively to a song emitting unconsciously from my lips or a song deep within my heart.  I listen to the words, and usually it is a song of praise to my Lord.  Then I know the Spirit is singing within me.  My outward man may feel fearful or troubled, but inside me there is almost an unconscious song of praise going on, almost as if the song is not connected to me unless I take time to listen.  Other times I'll cry, "Oh Lord, help me, I don't understand."  And I hear a quiet, "I will."  Sometimes, in the tossing and turning in my mind, I'll hear, "I am with you.  I will not leave you."  Then, and only then do I find comfort, for then I hear his footsteps.  I know his presence is near.  In the passage above, they did not perceive Jesus was near, but He was.  Do not frustrate the grace of God by not perceiving that Jesus is near.  He is, and He wants to comfort you today.  If you cannot find comfort in your soul by yourself, call up someone and ask for prayer.  God will comfort your soul through a brother or sister in Christ.  That is a purpose of the body of Christ.  BUT FOR SURE: HAVE FAITH, HE IS NEAR.