The Upper Room Daily Devotional from Nashville, Tennessee, United States “IN THE FOG” for Friday, 26 August 2016 with Scripture: Luke 24:13 That same day, two of them were going toward a village about seven miles from Yerushalayim called Amma’us, 14 and they were talking with each other about all the things that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed, Yeshua himself came up and walked along with them, 16 but something kept them from recognizing him. 17 He asked them, “What are you talking about with each other as you walk along?” They stopped short, their faces downcast; 18 and one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only person staying in Yerushalayim that doesn’t know the things that have been going on there the last few days?” 19 “What things?” he asked them. They said to him, “The things about Yeshua from Natzeret. He was a prophet and proved it by the things he did and said before God and all the people. 20 Our head cohanim and our leaders handed him over, so that he could be sentenced to death and executed on a stake as a criminal. 21 And we had hoped that he would be the one to liberate Isra’el! Besides all that, today is the third day since these things happened; 22 and this morning, some of the women astounded us. They were at the tomb early 23 and couldn’t find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he’s alive! 24 Some of our friends went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25 He said to them, “Foolish people! So unwilling to put your trust in everything the prophets spoke! 26 Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?” 27 Then, starting with Moshe and all the prophets, he explained to them the things that can be found throughout the Tanakh concerning himself.
28 They approached the village where they were going. He made as if he were going on farther; 29 but they held him back, saying, “Stay with us, for it’s almost evening, and it’s getting dark.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 As he was reclining with them at the table, he took the matzah, made the b’rakhah, broke it and handed it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. But he became invisible to them. 32 They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn inside us as he spoke to us on the road, opening up the Tanakh to us?”
33 They got up at once, returned to Yerushalayim and found the Eleven gathered together with their friends, 34 saying, “It’s true! The Lord has risen! Shim‘on saw him!” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the road and how he had become known to them in the breaking of the matzah.
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“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.[1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)]
I left work early and decided to take a scenic route home. I normally saw rolling hills, vibrant colorful fields, and horses grazing by the roadside. But that day all I could see was mist, rain, and fog. I felt like I was driving into nothing.
The drive home echoed my life at that time. I had just received a letter warning that my job was at risk. A time line of what would happen next had been explained to me, but my future was uncertain. I was going into a foggy time in life and had to trust God for direction.
A few months later, I drove the same route again. The sun illuminated the scenery I remembered and I could see all around. Once again, these surroundings mirrored how I felt about my life. I had a new job, and God’s direction for my life had become clear. The Lord led me through the fog back into the light and the beauty of life once more.
We all face times of uncertainty when the road ahead is not clear. We often cannot comprehend why the trial is happening or where we will end up. Just as the two disciples walking to Emmaus finally recognized Jesus, sometimes our eyes are suddenly opened and we understand God’s purpose and direction. Even when we are not aware, God is always with us.
Read more from the author, here.
"More from Chris Hall"
Fog did not obscure my scenic journey to work this time – it was a sunny summer’s day, after all. It was this sign instead: Road ahead closed.
I had passed the sign several times before I finally reached the road closure a mile or so down this hill. I had been in denial or hoping to find a diversion in place which would show me the way around it. There were none. I was thrown for a minute and wondered if I was going to be late. I turned around and finally found a narrow road that slid off to the left. It looked vaguely in the direction that I wanted to go, so I took a punt and tried it. The amount of traffic on it proved that I was onto something. I finally found the road I needed to be on and was on my way once more. I was not late!
Days before, I had been faced with the same situation as we took the long drive home from holiday. We faced two "Road ahead closed" diversions off our route, which added hours onto our journey. We finally arrived at our house at 3am. Roadworks are necessary, but when you are trying to get home quickly with bored children, they are stressful and annoying!
But in both instances, the road ahead being closed was not the end of it. I found a way to work and got there in the end. My wife and I found a way home from holiday and our kids said they even enjoyed the late night adventure.
In our lives, we can reach our "Road ahead closed" moments, when we either reach the end of a familiar road that we have got used to or the direction of our lives does not go the way we want to. We can, like I did, keep going until we have to turn back and find another route, or we can adapt quickly and take a different journey sooner. It is hard, but there is always another way.
Sometimes, it is not clear which road we should take. There are a number of options and we don’t know where to turn. We are scared of taking the wrong one and getting lost. It is then we need to pray to God and trust in him that he knows the road we need to take and that he will guide us to it. In Isaiah 30:21, it says “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'”
Trusting in God is one of the easiest things to recommend, but one of the hardest things to do. It is helpful to do what the Israelites did throughout the Old Testament. By putting down piles of rocks, writing Psalms of praise or reading out loud the Torah, they remembered how God had helped them in the past, so they could be reassured that he would help them again. When has God helped you when you were lost before? If he did it then, won’t he do it again?
Whatever road you are on and whatever obstacles you face, I pray that God will lead you on the right path today and in the future.[Chris Hall]
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” — the things God has prepared for those who love him — these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.[1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (NIV)]
I left work early and decided to take a scenic route home. I normally saw rolling hills, vibrant colorful fields, and horses grazing by the roadside. But that day all I could see was mist, rain, and fog. I felt like I was driving into nothing.
The drive home echoed my life at that time. I had just received a letter warning that my job was at risk. A time line of what would happen next had been explained to me, but my future was uncertain. I was going into a foggy time in life and had to trust God for direction.
A few months later, I drove the same route again. The sun illuminated the scenery I remembered and I could see all around. Once again, these surroundings mirrored how I felt about my life. I had a new job, and God’s direction for my life had become clear. The Lord led me through the fog back into the light and the beauty of life once more.
We all face times of uncertainty when the road ahead is not clear. We often cannot comprehend why the trial is happening or where we will end up. Just as the two disciples walking to Emmaus finally recognized Jesus, sometimes our eyes are suddenly opened and we understand God’s purpose and direction. Even when we are not aware, God is always with us.
Read more from the author, here.
"More from Chris Hall"
Fog did not obscure my scenic journey to work this time – it was a sunny summer’s day, after all. It was this sign instead: Road ahead closed.I had passed the sign several times before I finally reached the road closure a mile or so down this hill. I had been in denial or hoping to find a diversion in place which would show me the way around it. There were none. I was thrown for a minute and wondered if I was going to be late. I turned around and finally found a narrow road that slid off to the left. It looked vaguely in the direction that I wanted to go, so I took a punt and tried it. The amount of traffic on it proved that I was onto something. I finally found the road I needed to be on and was on my way once more. I was not late!
Days before, I had been faced with the same situation as we took the long drive home from holiday. We faced two "Road ahead closed" diversions off our route, which added hours onto our journey. We finally arrived at our house at 3am. Roadworks are necessary, but when you are trying to get home quickly with bored children, they are stressful and annoying!
But in both instances, the road ahead being closed was not the end of it. I found a way to work and got there in the end. My wife and I found a way home from holiday and our kids said they even enjoyed the late night adventure.
In our lives, we can reach our "Road ahead closed" moments, when we either reach the end of a familiar road that we have got used to or the direction of our lives does not go the way we want to. We can, like I did, keep going until we have to turn back and find another route, or we can adapt quickly and take a different journey sooner. It is hard, but there is always another way.
Sometimes, it is not clear which road we should take. There are a number of options and we don’t know where to turn. We are scared of taking the wrong one and getting lost. It is then we need to pray to God and trust in him that he knows the road we need to take and that he will guide us to it. In Isaiah 30:21, it says “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'”
Trusting in God is one of the easiest things to recommend, but one of the hardest things to do. It is helpful to do what the Israelites did throughout the Old Testament. By putting down piles of rocks, writing Psalms of praise or reading out loud the Torah, they remembered how God had helped them in the past, so they could be reassured that he would help them again. When has God helped you when you were lost before? If he did it then, won’t he do it again?
Whatever road you are on and whatever obstacles you face, I pray that God will lead you on the right path today and in the future.[Chris Hall]
The Author: Chris Hall (England)
Thought for the Day: When the path forward is unclear, I can trust God for direction.
Prayer: Faithful God, help us to trust your guidance even when we can’t see the path ahead. Amen.
Prayer focus: SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST A JOB
Thought for the Day: When the path forward is unclear, I can trust God for direction.
Prayer: Faithful God, help us to trust your guidance even when we can’t see the path ahead. Amen.
Prayer focus: SOMEONE WHO HAS LOST A JOB
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