Wide-Eyed and Opened
Today’s Verse:
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. ~Luke 24:31
Have you ever heard the phrase “wide-eyed”? It means that you are very awake, alert, and attentive. When you are wide-eyed, you can see clearly, with great focus, at all angles, and for a long distance. One of the keys for a successful journey is great visibility and the attentiveness to everything in your sight. Jesus opened the eyes of the two disciples who encountered Him on the road to Emmaus. It was not until after a meal with Him that He did this. Let us see how their eyes were opened.
They were opened to the sepulcher.
“Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” Before Jesus met with them, they doubted the reports of the women that our Lord rose from the dead. When He opened their eyes, they were convinced without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was indeed risen as He said. The resurrection of Christ is a fundamental, core doctrine. If Christ be not risen, our faith is in vain. It is also a fundamental core of discipleship. Paul said, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection.” Through His power, we are to seek those things which are above, and not the things on this earth. Open your eyes this morning that we serve a risen Saviour!
They were opened to the Scriptures.
“And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" When the Scriptures are opened to us, our hearts will be burning. Jeremiah said, “His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones”. This burning is convicting: we are moved to acknowledge our sin and our complete dependence upon God. This burning is compelling: we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. This burning is consecrating: we are clean through the Word spoken unto us. Open your eyes today to the Scriptures and let it burn deep within you.
They were opened to His sovereignty.
“And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.” They walked with Him on the road to Emmaus into town. They had a meal with Him: but when He opened their eyes, they knew Him! Their eyes were opened to the fact that He is God! Not God of the dead, but of the living! God Who is Most High and from everlasting to everlasting. God Who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere at one time! In order for us to have His power in our life, we must open our eyes to His sovereignty.
They were opened to His sending.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” Opened eyes result in opened hearts, which, in turn, result in an open profession. The Lord sends us into the world to proclaim His gospel to everyone. It should be preached to all nations: all ethnic groups, every language, every dialect, and every tongue. Opened eyes carries with it a grace responsibility. We are not to keep the death and resurrection of Christ hidden: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.” We are not to keep it a secret. "How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?"
Let’s be wide-eyed and opened! Let us enthusiastically take what the Lord has shown us to the people of this world.
Have a wide-eyed God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Genesis 12-15