The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 5 April 2021 – TOPIC: OPEN MY EYES LORD!
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TOPIC: OPEN MY EYES LORD!
READ: LUKE 24:13-35(NKJV)13. Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.14. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.16. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.17. And He said to them, “What kind of conversation [is] this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”18. Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”19. And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,20. “and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.21. “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.22. “Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.23. “When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.24. “And certain of those [who were] with us went to the tomb and found [it] just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”25. Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!26. “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”27. And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.28. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.29. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.30. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke [it,] and gave it to them.31. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.32. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”33. So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those [who were] with them gathered together,34. saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”35. And they told about the things [that had happened] on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.*THE MESSAGE:*Our story today details another post-resurrection appearance of Jesus on the first Easter day. The sad mood of Cleopas and the other disciple may describe the general experience of most of the disciples who had not understood or believed that Christ had risen! From verse 21, their hopes may have been dashed, and the reports by Mary Magdalene and others may not have helped at that material time. Moreover, they had not understood Isaiah 53:3, 7-9 and other prophecies about Jesus as a suffering Messiah (verse 26). Like those disciples, many people still perish today because they do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God (Hosea 4:6; Matthew 22:29).As they talked with Jesus, He explained what was said about Him in all” the Old Testament Scriptures (verse 27). We need to know and believe the scriptures so that what was said in verse 26 will not apply to us. May we pray that God will open our eyes to understand and believe the scriptures so that we shall experience Christ, not just as a historical figure, but as God who is with us and lives in us (Isaiah 7:14; John 14:23).*PRAYER:* Open my eyes, Oh Lord, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law