Inspired by Ms. Cowman, I've been thinking about the Christian walk and how it relates to the Emmaus Road experience of those first two disciples and to me personally. The result of my mediation is my own original poem entitled The Emmaus Road for obvious reasons. I wrote it in a formal rhyming couplet pattern with a syllable 12-13-12-13 design. I was originally thinking of the power of the numbers 12 and 13: 12 for the original disciples and 13 for the disciples plus Jesus. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! The Emmaus Road by Sharon Aubrey © 2018 Lord, we walk in blindness on the Emmaus Road, Emotionally wounded, our hearts a heavy load, Confused we move forward, each step a precious ache; Life’s journey moves us forward, for no one it will wait. We walk towards a city, our destination clear, But first we travel valleys with frustrations and fear. Our path winds onward, up steep temptations and strife, Then trudges slowly, the beaten tracks of daily life. We see a rest stop, where we pause to be refreshed, A glimpse of truth is given; we gain a second breath; The road along the heights of victories we walk, Exploring bits and pieces, of puzzles we do talk. Drawing near to the house, we turn to ask you in Humbly you entered, as one without burden. The meal satisfied more than body by the bread, For breaking it we saw you had risen from the dead. Our hearts filled with great joy, we hurried to our feet Returning to the former path, we walked down the street. No more are hills and valleys, no more heavy loads, For Christ was among us on the Emmaus Road. Our path is now made strait, from a perspective change, A shift into the Spirit, temporal things are strange. A secret we will carry deep within our hearts, Our Savior is alive; nothing can keep us apart. His love an endless spring from which we draw supply, His eternal Spirit now dwelling with us inside. Our joy unspeakable, no worldly man can take, Our mouths proclaim His glory, not even Hell can shake. Bold with every step, we walk the road unafraid Looking for other sheep that have turn aside or strayed. The Good News we proclaim to all who will but hear, Jesus Christ the risen Lord calls all of us come near. Come to Him for salvation, forgiveness of sin; Don’t delay! The God of Love is welcoming you in. Nothing you have ever done or could ever do Is stronger than the precious blood of Christ shed for you! © 2018, Sharon Aubrey
2 Comments
Beth Moore has been a wonderful example of a Christian minister and has encouraged hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people to study the Scripture and know Jesus as their Savior better. Recently, Beth released an open letter to her brothers in Christ explaining her denominational history, her respect for her Christian male mentors and pastors, and challenging Christian men everywhere to recognize the ungodly behavior by many who dismiss a woman simple because she was born female.
As a woman in Christ, my heart ached with Beth's letter, as I deeply understand the ridicule she faced in using of her gifts given by the Holy Spirit at the hands of some men in leadership positions within the Body of Christ. As Beth states, "attitudes among some key Christian leaders that smacked of misogyny, objectification and astonishing disesteem of women and it spread like wildfire. It was just the beginning. I came face to face with one of the most demoralizing realizations of my adult life: Scripture was not the reason for the colossal disregard and disrespect of women among many of these men. It was only the excuse. Sin was the reason. Ungodliness." Beth correctly identifies the source of negativity against women in ministry and leadership which has less to do with Scripture than the entrapment of sin. Scripture when taken in context and correctly translated does not forbid women from ministry roles as exemplified by their role within the early church, and nothing about the dismissive and demeaning attitude by men in leadership positions within the Church towards women is reflective of the image of Christ. I encourage you all to read Beth's letter for yourselves, because many people have already started to twist her words. Always encourage the Truth within the Body of Christ.
Yesterday, I noticed our local bookstore was going out of business, so I went in to see what books were still available. I found a small hardback book titled, Springs in the Valley by Mrs. Chas E. Cowman, copyright 1939. Intrigued, I purchased the little devotional and took it home. Last night while reading the second entry, I had a deeper revelation of the New Testament thanks to Mrs. Cowman expounding on the Emmaus Road experience.
When I read the Old Testament, it’s easy to see an allegory or parable within the event being described. Take for example the story of David and Goliath. We know this was a factual account of a historical confrontation between a young Israeli teenager and a seasoned Philistine warrior. While reading about the real event, most Believers also understand other layers that are allegorical or spiritually symbolic. We perceive situations in our lives when we are in a similar position to David. David, representing a man of faith, overcomes the impossible giant in life by trusting in God. From David’s historical battle, we can learn a lesson of faith applicable to our own lives. Or perhaps in the story of David and Goliath, we view Jesus the Christ, the Beloved (the meaning of David’s name) of God, taking on Satan, humanity’s giant enemy, and totally destroying him. Whatever spiritual depths we read in the story of David and Goliath, Believers seem to instinctively know there is more to the Old Testament story than just mere historical facts. Somehow, I never truly applied this same bible reading principle to all the New Testament scriptures. Of course like many Christians, I regularly extrapolate spiritual applications from Jesus’ teachings and parables. Their practical application to a life of faith seem obvious, as well as in many other gospel accounts, like Peter stepping out of the boat to walk on water. Yet somehow, many of the other events in the New Testament I read as simply historical facts and never truly considered a deeper spiritual meaning concealed behind them. Mrs. Cowman wrote about the Emmaus Road experience from a new spiritual perspective. She began recounting the tale of an early spring day when two men were walking the Emmaus Road, both recently saddened by their teacher’s death. Then she elaborated about their heavy emotional burden and mentioned a Stranger suddenly falls in step with them along the road. Together, the three men begin discussing the depressed hearts of the two disciples. While the two men don’t understand who the third man is yet, their discussion of scripture ignites a warm glow in their souls that bids them to stay in this stranger’s company. Loathed to see him leave, the two men invite him into their lodging for the night. At dinner with the breaking of bread, the two men suddenly KNOW the third man is Jesus. Then Ms. Cowman challenges Believers to take the spiritual application of the Emmaus Road event into our hearts. Do we have times in life when we don’t notice Jesus walking with us because our journey is full of sorrows and with heavy heart and feet we barely take the next step? Like those two men of long ago, Jesus is walking beside us, even when we do not see Him. Like them, do you feel warmth within your soul while reading God’s word? Does it feel like that flame might be too small to completely lift your pain and burden, and yet you do not want the Stranger to leave? Well, take comfort Ms. Cowman reminds, for the Lord is walking beside you! Jesus’ revelations from Old Testament scriptures beginning with Moses clear up through Gospel events are only part of knowledge He wanted to impart to His disciples. Jesus desired they understand all that He was, all that He did, and equally important that they see Him as He is now. Had Jesus not wanted those two disciples to see Him as the risen Lord, He would not have stayed with them till dinner waiting for them to fully comprehend.
Take comfort for Jesus is with you. Even though you cannot see Him clearly, He is walking beside you, always with you. Mrs. Cowman encourages Believers to take the seemingly lonely road. Walk it courageous and unafraid, because Jesus is on that road. He will never fail you, nor ever forget His covenant with you. Like the disciples of old, Jesus continually walks beside us, even if we don’t realize it. Wow! Looking through the eyes of the Emmaus Road disciples for a practical spiritual revelation the Holy Spirit wanted to impart to Believers today was fresh rhema for my soul. It also forever changed how I read the New Testament. No longer will I read of early church events as simply recording the facts of what happened. Like Old Testament stories, the New Testament facts are designed to give us a deeper revelation of Jesus Christ and His work in our lives. Imagine what Believers will find when we read through the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and all the letters to the churches with a heart to view another level of revelation, one beyond the mere facts. What precious treasures await those who seek!
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing and the honor of kings to search it out.
Proverbs 25:2
Part of living a life with Christ is giving back to others in your community. This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer to teach Kindergarten through second grade students how to write a good story, the parts of a story, how to identify problems, and find solutions. The Young Writer's Conference was held at Sherrod Elementary School in Palmer, Alaska. Students from all over the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District came to participate.
I ended up teaching 54 students in three groups, who came with their parents and grandparents to the event. I began by sharing the story Mimsy Mouse Searches for a New Home by Linda N. Walz and Stephan Linton. Students learned about the three parts of a fiction book: the beginning, middle, and end. Each section was later broken down to help students identify the problem, the turning point, and solution. All the students fell in love with Mimsy's story and who wouldn't; it's a wonderful tale of friendship.
After explaining what makes a good story to the kids, I brought booklets for each student to create his/her own story. Perimeters were given to help students focus on writing their stories in the given amount of time. The stories had to be about a main character that was a moose. The moose had to have some problem based on a desire or talent the moose had that was not "normal" for other moose. I gave the examples of maybe the moose wanted to play the piano, ski down a mountain, or ride a bicycle. Then the students began the creative writing process.
In the end, I loved all the different stories the children created. There was a moose who lived on the sun and wanted to move because he was so hot. He moved to Antarctica and was much happier. There were two young ladies in the last group that really surprised me by working together. None of the other children had thought about coauthoring. These two girls attended the same school and were friends. When the first little girl started her story about a moose, named Bilmy, that was scared of everything and lived in a cave to feel safe, the second little girl made her story about a friendly girl moose, named Emily, who befriended Bilmy to teach him the world isn't scary when you have a best friend. Together the young ladies wrote a very touching story of friendship, which displayed their own good hearts as well.
It was wonderful to share with the kids and watch them learn. I also laughed a lot at their imaginations: from moose going to the moon to driving trucks or ice skating, these kids had endless ideas for problems and solutions. I also loved that every time I asked as question, they jumped right in to answer. Every child thought he or she was a great artist. They all tried their best to draw moose, even when their skills were not as well-honed as others. Most children thought they were good writers too. Every student believed he had something to share. Saturday made me wish many adults would go back and capture their child-like hearts, when they believed in themselves so completely as these kids did. Somehow adults lose sight of their abilities and imaginations. Trials have made us stop believing in ourselves or start comparing our gifts to others, who have are "better" than us. These kids didn't have that problem. Each child worked diligently on his drawings and story, regardless of whether other students were better or worse in those talents. Spending time with children can help bring our own childlike qualities back to our lives. We can learn to believe in ourselves again and use our gifts without comparison to others. We can not only have childlike faith, but childlike confidence too. Yes, you can write a book. It might be as crazy as a moose on roller skates, but it would be fun and creative. Judging from the 54 students I worked with on Saturday, we are all born with creativity. Don't let the world steal your joy from you!
This weekend, I took some time to watch a movie. I usually unwind with a Hallmark, happy-ending kind of story, but on Sunday I stumbled across "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." Apparently this movie was based on the book by Mitch Albom, which I'd never read before but am thinking would be an awesome book to add to my must-read list. It was a spiritually deep movie in many aspects. Too often we feel our daily life is uneventful or tedious, and we often associate those "normal" events as basically meaningless. The theme of this movie addresses the anger and unhappiness which stem from feeling your life is meaningless. Eddie, the main character, was a man dissatisfied with his life, wishing he had lived a more exciting or more valuable life. All the woulda, coulda, shoulda's haunted him. When Eddie dies unexpectedly, he goes to Heaven but it's not what he expected. In Heaven he meets 5 people who help him understand his 'meaningless' life, some of whom he never really met in life. I won't give away the ending, but I'll tell you it's something you won't expect. If you have ever struggled with wondering about the purpose of a normal or boring life, you will be encouraged to know that every life: no matter how short, boring, or seemingly inconsequential is part of the wonderful plan of God. Every life matters more than we ever know this side of Heaven.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29-31
This revelation—holy, just, and true--
Though oft I read, it seems forever new; While light from heaven upon its pages rest, I feel its power, and with it I am blessed. Henceforth, I take thee as my future guide, Let naught from thee my youthful heart divide. And then, if late or early death be mine, All will be well, since I, O Lord, am Thine! Phoebe Worrall-Palmer
This insightful poem was penned by Phoebe Worrall, age eleven, on the inner page of her bible. Phoebe, born in 1807 to a devout Methodist family, experienced a problem faced by many Christians today. She was under the false belief that an intense emotional experience was required for or accompanied the act of salvation. The belief in an emotional connection to one's salvation has led many unbelievers to falsely assume they were saved simply because they had felt guilty and shed tears over their sins, without truly embracing the Savior. Emotion has also led many Christians to be unsure of their salvation for lack of "feeling" saved. Even the great evangelist Billy Graham knew not to trust emotion as the sign of genuine salvation, which he learned from watching many people come forward in his crusades, only to discover later they emotion was not connected to genuine repentance or faith in Christ.
Phoebe never felt like a Christian as a child, although she grew up in a Christian environment and had known and believed in the Lord since birth. She later married Walter Palmer, and two of their children died only months after birth. Phoebe wrongly concluded God was somehow punishing for her lack of faith and devotion to Him, because she could never "feel" the way other Christians described feeling salvation. As you can imagine, this led her into a very dark spiritual time. Thankfully, Phoebe's spiritual crisis ended when she had the realization that she didn't need "joyous emotion" to believe. She discovered the biblical truth that the simple act of believing was the foundation for salvation. The verse that changed Phoebe's mind was Matthew 23:19, "Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?" While many overlook the implications in this verse, Phoebe received rhema from it. She realized the Bible taught whatever was placed on the altar was sanctified not by the act placing it there, or anything a person did. It was the work of God, upon whose altar the item was placed, to sanctify the item on the alter. This spiritual revelation helped Phoebe realize that her life committed to Jesus was sanctified not by her doing (keeping a list of do's and don'ts to follow) but by her surrender to the Lord, who was and is perfectly able to sanctify her by His power. As a result, she no longer needed a sign to validate her faith in Jesus. Phoebe Palmer understood other believers were struggling in their faith in a similar way she once had. So she took her biblical revelation and applied it to John Wesley's Methodist perfectionist's movement, dividing it into a three step process. 1. Consecrate your life to God. 2. Believe God will sanctify what was consecrated to Him. 3. Tell others about it. As a result of her three step process, Phoebe began holding prayer meetings, which eventually grew beyond measure. She was an active supporter of many Christian causes, including the first inner-city mission in America, located in New York City. Phoebe also inspired many other women of faith to trust God and step out in faith, like Catherine Booth of the Salvation Army. Phoebe went on to author the book, The Way of Holiness, which was a foundation in the Holiness Movement. The Holiness Christian movement believed upon salvation believers were cleansed from the power of sin and through sanctification could lead a life without committing willful sin. Whether the movement was entirely right or wrong, it impacted the way many believers thought and inspired new denominations like the Salvation Army, the Nazarene Church, the Church of God, and many Pentecostals. More importantly, Phoebe's teaching that neither salvation nor sanctification are validated by emotion is relevant for believers today. While it is powerful to experience emotion, the Word of the Lord is not changed by it. Phoebe often said, "Earnest prayers, long fasting, and burning tears may seem befitting, but cannot move the heart of infinite love to a greater willingness to save."
Years ago my friend told me that I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Mind you, this came at a time in my life that was one of my lower points... my husband was broken physically, and I was carrying a HUGE load of additional responsibilities. I didn't believe it at first and complained that was not okay, because this was not where I wanted to be. Heck, it was a serious of terrible events that had brought me to this point in life. My wise friend told me to stop fighting the moment. She assured me that God knew exactly where I was, and I was where He wanted me to be for the moment. She told me to accept where I was at this point in life, embrace it because when I did that, I would finally understand the power of the moment I was in.
Well, I didn't truly understand her advice that day, but I pondered on it. How could it be that I was supposed to accept and be grateful for the horrible moment in my life? How could I believe this painful place was exactly where God wanted me to be? Surely, God wanted better for me than this, I thought. It took me years to fully understand, but now I see my friend was 100% right. There is great power in embracing where you are at this moment in life. However you got to this moment doesn't matter. Whether was a freak accident, series of mistakes or bad choices, or a series of good decisions or unexpected blessings, you are exactly where you are supposed to be at this moment. When you accept where you are without blame or ridicule for past mistakes and are not bound by the desires or dreams of the distant future, you can experience great power in the moment of now. Living in the present can empower and inspire us to change the future from a more realistic vantage point. We need to remember we are not forsaken. We have not been abandoned, nor did this moment surprise the God of Heaven who watches over us. He is still with us, and in this present moment, He is blessing us and helping us. Be mindful of the power of living in the present moment. Do not despise its small blessings, for in them tomorrow's future begins. If you need encouragement for the small blessings in life, Our Daily Bread put out a great book on it. I've included it below.
"Do not despise these small beginnings,
for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin..." Zechariah 4:10 |
Sharon Aubrey
An Alaskan Author, Prospector, Homeschool Teacher, Ordained Minister, I welcome your comments! Before you post, please see my
Comments Policy. Categories
All
Archives
March 2019
Some of the links on this blog are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Also, some of the books and products featured on the blog I received free or heavily discounted for the purpose of review. All the opinions are my unbiased thoughts. I only recommend products or services I use and believe will add value for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
|