Baby Steps

Read Luke 24:13-34

Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life.

First steps - a “milestone” new parents celebrate with amazement and joy, with calls to the grandparents, social media posts, many videos, etc… It amazes me how quickly a child, after taking just one step begins moving so fast! A few short weeks later, his/her parents are in good enough shape to run a marathon - albeit a few broken vases, a few bumps, bruises and “painted” walls later 😃

“We had hoped…”  These two disciples of Jesus had just taken their first post-resurrection steps - still stuck in the past, dare I say whining, about what they thought should have happened. They expected Jesus to be the Messiah, who would rescue Israel.  Jesus did come to rescue, but it had not occurred to them His idea of rescue would be different than they anticipated.  

These two disciples had hung out with Jesus for several years. Then they had seen Him die, and they had heard about the empty grave. Now Jesus began to teach them from the scriptures, but it wasn’t until they broke bread with Jesus that they recognized Him.  Do you recognize Jesus when He speaks with you?

What do you do when what you hope for collides with reality? Anger? Denial? Depression?  The writer of Proverbs writes that “hope deferred makes a heart sick.”  Interestingly, it took the breaking of bread for these two disciples to recognize Jesus.  When my hope has collided with my reality, I have often found myself broken. Why does it often take moments of brokenness for us to recognize Jesus?

Unknowingly these disciples were taking baby steps toward The Truth.  Truth discovered results in dreams fulfilled.  What baby steps do you need to take toward Jesus(The Truth) today? The only way to the Father, the only way to healing, the only way to a confident hope, the only way to dreams fulfilled, as these disciples discovered, is to step toward Jesus.  

Within 50 days these disciples would go from a tentative baby step to a full-blown sprint.  Take a baby step today and maybe another one tomorrow🙂. Imagine Jesus, just like a parent, kneeling down, holding out His arms encouraging you with these words: “You can do it, come here, trust me!”  No human being has ever run, without first taking a baby step!