Don’t Give Up Too Soon
“Don’t give up, on the brink of a miracle!
Don’t give in, God is still on the throne!
Don’t give up, on the brink of a miracle!
Don’t give in, remember you’re not alone!”
That was a song we sang as a confession of believing “NOTHING – no-thing – is impossible with God!” On a personal note…..I can’t begin to tell you how many times we didn’t give up on believing for miracles we needed and God came through for us every time in His perfect timing.
Yesterday was the day of a miracle of all miracles. Jesus’ stone-cold body came alive. He walked right out of that grave! Headlines: “God’s NOT Dead!” Headlines: “He spoke to me!” Headlines: “The grave is empty!” Headlines: “I saw Him with my own two eyes!”
Have you given up on your dreams, your hopes, and your aspirations too soon? Did you throw in the towel and declare “I’m done! It’s over!”? It was R-Day – Resurrection Morning. Jesus was alive. He kept His promise. But two disciples didn’t stick around to prove Him out. WHAT? Couldn’t they have stayed to the end of that one more day?
I knew I would blog today about the two disciples who were walking home to Emmaus from Jerusalem after the crucifixion and the Lord’s resurrection. (Luke 24:13-35). Obviously, the women’s reports that Jesus had shown up alive wasn’t enough proof for them. They might have been thinking they were delusional “drama queens” who had let the torture, the cross, and the burial of their Master get to them.
I started this blog with “Don’t give up on the brink of a miracle!” Why didn’t those two disciples remember what Jesus said about dying yet living? They gave up “on the brink of the grandest miracle of all times”!
Can you imagine what that walk home looked like? I’m sure they gave little notice to the scenery or even the dust they were stirring up as they pressed on. They felt abandoned and without hope. Despite their lack of belief that their risen Savior was alive, Jesus loved them too much to let them continue in their unbelief.
They had given up hope. BUT, uh oh! HOPE showed up when Jesus started walking and talking with them. He began to speak God’s Word to them and remind them of what He had told them from the beginning. They didn’t recognize Him. But their sadness and confusion soon gave way to great joy. Jesus had an ulterior motive in mind. He wanted them to SEE Him in scripture before they saw Him up close and personal. As He spoke, everything they thought had been lost was restored — and with even greater promise.
When Jesus went home with them, broke bread, blessed it and gave it to them, their eyes opened, and they recognized Him. Then He disappeared. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?”
And that is my prayer, too. We are those disciples on our roads, living our lives in the real world, walking along with Jesus who is always there accompanying, whether we recognize Him or not. He listens to us. He understands us. He gets us. I pray that our hearts would burn within us at the reality of His unfailing Word and that we would be stirred by His presence in our lives daily. I pray that we ALWAYS put faith and trust in His Word.
Are you confused, hurting, perplexed or need advice and wise counsel today? Maybe it’s time to go for a life-changing walk with Jesus. The Miracle-Worker is available 24/7. May we NEVER give up. We are on the brink of a miracle today. If God said it, we should believe it AND that settles it!