Opened Eyes

Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

Luke 24:31 KJV

According to the Blindness and Heath Statistics (April 2023), more than 12 million Americans over 40 have some visual impairment, and 1.3 million are legally blind. Blindness can hinder the enjoyment of life, such as watching a sunset or seeing a rainbow in the sky. Yet, spiritual blindness limits the abundance of life. For this reason, every believer experiences a Road to Emmaus.

Immediately after the Resurrection, Jesus accompanied two disciples on the Road to Emmaus, a seven-mile walk from Jerusalem. This event occurred three days after Jesus’ crucifixion. Because of the current events, these disciples were distraught and doomed. What they had anticipated never came true, and most of all, who they believed was their liberator was unable to liberate himself. What a disappointment they felt as they conversed on the Road to Emmaus! The Scriptures indicate as follows:

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

(Luke 24:15-16 KV)

These two disciples were so troubled that they could not recognize the one they had trusted earlier. The failure of life's anticipation leads to the blindness of other options and the refusal to explore different avenues of approach. We find ourselves waddling in the pool of regrets. Remember, we all have pools of regrets that we can dip into occasionally. Yet, it is easy to get bogged down in the details of our missteps and the what-ifs rather than seeing the perspective from Christ’s point of view. Therefore, the Road to Emmaus allows us to develop a new perspective while realizing that our pool of regrets never defines us because it is a source of pain that points us toward a new perspective.

On the Road to Emmaus, after the disciples encounter Jesus and listen as He explains the same Scriptures concerning Himself, their blindness dissolved with enlightenment. As a result of hearing the words of Jesus and allowing His words to penetrate their emotions, they gained a new perspective because their eyes were opened.

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Luke 24:30-31

On the Road to Emmaus, our pool of regrets becomes a source of pain, but if we refocus from a new perspective from a Christ-centered view instead of a selfish view, it will become a source of learning, growth, and understanding. After Jesus vanished, the two disciples reflected on what they had learned and eagerly reversed their journey on the same road but back to Jerusalem. In other words, they had a spiritual awakening.

Remember, the Road to Emmaus can range from seemingly small and insignificant events to immense and life-changing situations that equally impact us because of spiritual blindness. With the knowledge of the Scriptures, as it relates to our overall life, we can reverse the journey and return to God’s will for our life. As we do this, we will experience the abundant life as promised in the Scriptures.

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

The Road to Emmaus will infuse your Spiritual Awakening.