A few weeks ago, we held a Life Event and one of the attendees asked how we came up with the name Emmaus Road Healing Center. We thought you might be curious as well!

When the healing center was still a thought in the clouds, Beth and I spent a weekend praying and dreaming with Jesus, asking Him for direction and clarity on what name He had for us. As we met together, Beth felt clearly impressed to read the story of the Emmaus Road found in Luke 24:13-35. If you haven’t read it, I would highly encourage you to spend some time in the story because as you will find, it’s your story too. As we read the story we realized there were so many parallels with the ministry that God had called us to.

Two of the disciples were walking on the Emmaus road toward Jerusalem, about a seventeen mile trek. It was days after Jesus’ crucifixion and they were fresh in their grief; distraught as their teacher, whom they had left everything to follow; brutally hung on a cross breathing His last breath. Their hopes and dreams were devastated leaving them dazed and confused as they had hoped He would redeem and rescue Israel. In their distress, they didn’t recognize the man who caught up with them as they were walking and joined them on their journey to Jerusalem. This stranger inquired about their conversation and listened intently as they shared about Jesus of Nazareth, and the new news that the tomb was empty and Jesus could possibly be alive but no one had any idea where his body was. As they walked together Jesus “carefully revealed to them the revelation of himself throughout Scripture” pointing them to the promises of what they had been told. The disciples were focused on their surrounding circumstances. As they started to part ways, the disciples invited Him to share a meal with them at their intended destination as it would soon be dark. Never one to turn down a meal or an opportunity for fellowship, He accepted. It wasn’t until they were all seated and Jesus broke bread with them that they were able to recognize Him. He then left their presence. They were awestruck. “Didn’t our hearts burn in His presence,” they questioned? Their hearts had been awakened.

Your Story and My Story

This isn’t a new narrative. It’s your story and it’s my story. Oftentimes we tell ourselves a story of how we think or want things to turn out, and when that doesn’t happen we can feel like God disappointed us or let us down. Why didn’t He do what He said He would do? Does He even listen or even care? We wonder where God is. Jesus didn’t dismiss the disciples, instead He listened and spoke truth to their hearts. He comforted them in their distress. He knew their pain was too great for them to see Him at that moment so He continued on the journey with them until they were in a place they could see and experience that He was right in front of them.

Jesus offers us this same comfort. It is in these times that Jesus meets us where we are at with open arms, awakening our hearts. He will eternally beckon us to come, to share, to lay it all down, inviting our hearts to come back home to Him. He doesn’t rush us. He just continues to journey with us on the road, steering us off the path of pain until the moment is right and we can clearly see that He was there all along. As we reflect we can answer with the disciples, yes, our hearts were burning as well in HIs presence. Our hearts too were awakened.

The Emmaus Road story is threaded throughout the tapestry of our Come Home To Your Heart Life Events. Time and a safe space is created for each of us to encounter Him and engage in the process of a heart being awakened. He continues to be faithful to reveal Himself to each person that is looking for HIm until our hearts burn with His presence.