Scriptural Reference:
The
Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13–32
The Road to Damascus
Acts 9:1-19
The Highway of Holiness
Isaiah 35:8
Reflection:
We are each on a journey. Traveling the way of the Cross towards our
heavenly home. Yet there are three spiritual roads that we can find
ourselves on. These three are suggested here as the Road to Damascus,
the Road to Emmaus or the Highway of Holiness Each represents the purpose
of the one who enters and travels on them.
The Road to
Damascus:
The Road to Damascus begins where Saul begins. As he starts his journey
towards Damascus he has every intention to track down and charging Christians
with a range of charges. All leading to them being stoned to death.
Sail is on a mission to purge the community of those he deems to be
heretics. Those who have twisted the word from what Saul sincerely believes
is perfect. So if you are also on this road you will have started your
journey with intentions to confront those you deem to be false in the
faith. Those you believe sincerely to be promoting false doctrine. You
have set yourself up as God's representative. In many ways taking the
place of God when it comes to confrontation and punishment.
Saul was challenged
on this road. He met with Jesus the Christ and was put firmly in his
place. Made physically as blind as he had become spiritually blind;
he was left like a babe in the wilderness. Lost and alone. Sadly in
the times Saul lived any form of disabilities was seen as a judgment
by God. So when he become blind, those who traveled with him or knew
him would have left him. Not wanting to be burdened or tainted by the
perceived guild and sin that he must have had. For God only strikes
blind the guilty.
Are you on the
same road as Saul? Are you traveling with a similar intent To strike
out at everyone who does not agree with your personal view of the Bible?
Even when it has distorted what the Bible actually says. There are many
who are walking the footsteps of Saul. They have decided to omit sections
of the Bible that no longer fit their chosen lifestyle choices. They
are now judging and tormenting anyone who adheres to the Bible as the
perfect Word of God.
This is a dangerous
road to travel. Pray now for wisdom before God sees fit to teach you
a painful lesson.
The Road to
Emmaus:
We are introduced to two believers. They were called Followers of the
Way. They had traveled with Jesus the Christ during His ministry and
shared in many of the miracles that He had performed. Yet now we find
them disheartened and walking sadly towards the township of Emmaus.
They have watched in horror as their teacher was arrested, tortured
and crucified. They shook their heads in bewilderment when their beloved
teacher did not come down from the cross or call down a host of angels
to confront the Roman and the Pharisees. And now they walk alone and
talk in hushed words in fear of someone hearing them.
Now along comes
Jesus the Christ. He approaches the travelers and has chosen to not
reveal himself. His words are of curiosity as he asks them what it is
they are discussing so earnestly. His inquiry stirs up all the angst
and confusion that they were feeling. His words make them amazed that
someone would actually not know what was going on. How could someone
not know about their beloved teacher that they should coldly ask what
they talked about? Who was this incredibly insensitive man?
As we read these
verse we learn of the patience and consideration that Jesus the Christ
show them. How he patiently relates to the teachings of the Prophets
and what the Messiah had to go through to fulfill the prophetic Word
of God. We walks with them to the very entry of Emmaus and a suitable
inn where the two travelers were intending to rest for the night. Where
they invited Jesus to stay and share a meal with them. It is here, while
blessing the food, that they finally recognise who this man really is.
They recognise their teacher and their salvation. At this defining moment
Jesus leaves them. I might suggest that the fact they recognised the
blessing of the bread and wine as implemented by Jesus may confirm that
they were present at the Last Supper.
Are you on this
road? Sadly walking along thinking that your faith is strong yet the
one you place it in has some how let you down? Perhaps the Lord of your
Salvation is not as perfect as you first believed he was when you accepted
Jesus the Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have faith and yet your
knowledge, just like the two on the road before you, is lacking and
needs to be made firm. A daily reading of the Bible will assist you
in strengthening you for the longer road ahead.
The Highway
of Holiness:
These words are few and only comprise one short verse within the book
of Isaiah, a prophet of the Old testament. Yet they are bold and dramatic
in what they convey.
8 And
a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness;
it will be
for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey
on it; wicked
fools will not go about on it.
For many Christians
we are happily blessed to travel this road or highway. To trust in the
Bible as the perfect Word of God. As well as to seek each day to learn
more about the way in which it can enrich us and keep us safe on our
journey of the Cross. W3 can draw much from the words of the prophet
Isaiah. A brief note about the prophet teaches us that he is believed
to have lived roughly 700 years prior to the birth of Jesus. Isaiah
found his calling as a prophet when he had a vision in the year of King
Uzziah's death. During his active years as a prophet of God he foretold
the coming of the Messiah Jesus the Christ.
Isaiah was a Hebrew
prophet who was believed to have lived about 700 years before the birth
of Jesus Christ. Born in Jerusalem, Israel, he was said to have found
his calling as a prophet when he saw a vision in the year of King Uzziah's
death. Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah Jesus Christ. From
reading the book of Isaiah we can derive three unique things about the
Highway of Holiness.
The first is that
it is a place of holiness. The unclean and unrighteous will not walk
or travel on this way. For us it is Christ alone who provides this way
of holiness, having exchanged His perfect righteousness for our sin
(2 Corinthians 5:21). He has paved the way for each of us to be able
to travel this road.
The second is that
this will be a place of safety. Where only the redeemed will be able
to walk there, and those the Lord has rescued will return” (Isaiah 35:9–10).
There will be no threat to those who have accepted Jesus the Christ
as their Lord and Saviour. There will be no hazards or stumbling blocks.
Just a smooth and blessed place of safe passage.
The third is a
place of joy and thanksgiving. As it is written "[Christians] will
enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness
and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Isaiah
35:10). The very road itself will be paved with joy, happiness and blessed
assurance. On this road we will all find ourselves walking in harmony
with each other.
Is this the road
you are traveling on? If not, is it the one you long to take on your
journey of the Cross? If it is, than by all means rejoice in your living
Saviour. and study the Bible each day. Seek to enter this road and follow
it all the way to a blessed home with God our Father and Jesus the Christ
our Lord and Saviour. King.
Prayer:
Precious Lord,
There are three roads,
I pray that the road I take
Will lead me to you alone.
Never straying into,
Self righteousness
Painful denial
Or hesitant distractions.
But only down the
one
Highway of your Holiness.
Amen