Scripture: "They constrained Him, saying. Abide with us. .... And He went in to tarry with them. And . . . as He sat at meat with them . . . their eyes were opened, and they knew Him."—LUKE xxiv. 29-31.
If Mary teaches us what the morning watch can be for the revelation of Jesus to the soul, Emmaus reminds us of the place that the evening prayer may have in preparing for the full manifestation of Christ in the soul.
To the two disciples the day had begun in thick darkness. When at length the woman told of the angel who had said that He was alive, they knew not what to think. When "Jesus Himself drew near," their eyes were holden, and they knew Him not. How often Jesus does come near with the one object of manifesting Himself, but is hindered because we are so slow of heart to believe what the Word has spoken. But as the Lord spake with them, their hearts began to burn within them, and yet there never was a thought that it might be Himself. It is often even so now. The Word becomes precious to us in the fellowship of the saints; our hearts are stirred with the new vision of what Christ's presence may be, and yet—the eyes are holden, and we see Him not.
When the Lord made as though He would have gone farther, their prayer, "Abide with us," constrained Him. Christ had given in the last night a new meaning to the word "Abide." They did not yet understand that, but in the use of it received far more than they expected, a foretaste of that life of abiding which the resurrection had now made possible. Let us learn the lesson of how needful it is that towards the close of the day there should be a pause, perhaps in fellowship with others, when the whole heart takes up anew the promise of the abiding presence and prays with the urgency that constrains him: "Abide, abide with us."
And what is now the chief lesson of the story? What was it that led our Lord to reveal Himself to these two men? Nothing less than this, their intense devotion to their Lord. There may be much ignorance and unbelief, but if there be a burning desire that above everything longs for Him, a desire that is ever fostered as the Word is heard or spoken, we may count upon it, He will make Himself known to us. To such intense devotion and constraining prayer, the Lord's message will be given in power: "Lo, I am with you alway"; our eyes will be opened, and we will know Him and the blessed secret of the abiding presence always. It is to strong desire and constraining prayer that Christ will most assuredly manifest Himself.
