In Luke 24, two disciples were traveling to a village called Emmaus…and they talked together of the things that had happened. While they were talking, Jesus joined them but they did not recognize Him. Jesus asked why they were talking with such intensity and sadness. Incredulously, one disciple asked how could He possibly not know what had happened (thinking that He must be a stranger). Ironically, they told Him the story of the crucifixion and resurrection.
Several weeks ago part of this passage perplexed me. Verse 21 says, "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel…" Hoping. Another version says, "We trusted." I don’t think that I had ever noticed the past tense usage before. But I could relate.
"I hoped that God would…" "I believed that God…."
In 2001, I found out that I was expecting again. Samuel had just turned one and I was overwhelmed but eventually happy. A "normal" ultrasound turned abnormal very quickly and I hoped and prayed… but thirteen weeks later, I miscarried.
We were ecstatic when we found out that we were expecting another baby three years later. So full of promise and hope. But then Seth fractured his tibia at 17 months. "Just a normal toddler fracture," the ER doc said. But it happened again 9 months later…and six months after that he broke his arm. Oh, how I prayed and hoped. But after he broke his femur last October, such bitter disappointment followed.
Many of my readers have stories of heartbreak too, some much worse than my experiences. Some of us hoped and believed but alas, it appeared to be in vain.
As Jesus walked along that road to Emmaus, He said to the disappointed sojourners, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe!" My Streams of the Desert devotional asks this: " Are we not in the same danger of having these words said to us? We can afford to lose anything and everything if we do not lose our faith in the God of truth and love."
I cannot begin to understand the path that God has chosen for me. I am so blessed and yet when adversity and trials advance and I can see neither "see" His hand or feel His presence, I am tempted to say with sadness, "I trusted."
For many of us, this story is common place and we know the completion. "…their (disciples) eyes were opened and they knew Him…and they rose up that very hour and said…The Lord is risen indeed…"
Let us never put our faith, as the disciples did, in a past tense—"We trusted." But let us say, "I am trusting."
Several weeks ago part of this passage perplexed me. Verse 21 says, "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel…" Hoping. Another version says, "We trusted." I don’t think that I had ever noticed the past tense usage before. But I could relate.
"I hoped that God would…" "I believed that God…."
In 2001, I found out that I was expecting again. Samuel had just turned one and I was overwhelmed but eventually happy. A "normal" ultrasound turned abnormal very quickly and I hoped and prayed… but thirteen weeks later, I miscarried.
We were ecstatic when we found out that we were expecting another baby three years later. So full of promise and hope. But then Seth fractured his tibia at 17 months. "Just a normal toddler fracture," the ER doc said. But it happened again 9 months later…and six months after that he broke his arm. Oh, how I prayed and hoped. But after he broke his femur last October, such bitter disappointment followed.
Many of my readers have stories of heartbreak too, some much worse than my experiences. Some of us hoped and believed but alas, it appeared to be in vain.
As Jesus walked along that road to Emmaus, He said to the disappointed sojourners, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe!" My Streams of the Desert devotional asks this: " Are we not in the same danger of having these words said to us? We can afford to lose anything and everything if we do not lose our faith in the God of truth and love."
I cannot begin to understand the path that God has chosen for me. I am so blessed and yet when adversity and trials advance and I can see neither "see" His hand or feel His presence, I am tempted to say with sadness, "I trusted."
For many of us, this story is common place and we know the completion. "…their (disciples) eyes were opened and they knew Him…and they rose up that very hour and said…The Lord is risen indeed…"
Let us never put our faith, as the disciples did, in a past tense—"We trusted." But let us say, "I am trusting."
Comments
I always look forward to your insight. I am very guilty of having a past-tense faith. Thanks for the reminder to keep trusting!