Jesus in Our Midst

The older I get, the more convinced I am that Jesus’ presence with me – the gift of the Holy Spirit – comes alongside me, most often in very ordinary days and ways. Jesus in our midst — Do you notice that, too?

In the Luke 24 Emmaus Road story, two adults were walking about seven miles to the town of Emmaus, and they were discussing the very big commotion surrounding them about Jesus of Nazareth. The commotion of our current days pales compared to the sorting they were doing regarding the prophet they were following.

Yet… they were talking it out…two by two. And then, along the road, another joins them almost out of nowhere. This unidentified man brings a presence, a third person embodied with curiosity and wisdom, to add to their mysteries. 

If you haven’t read the Emmaus Road story for a while, please do. It always stretches my imagination. By way of imagination, let me share an ordinary way in which Jesus came alongside me.  

My Dad passed away about 18 months ago at the age of 89. As a family, we waited four months to celebrate his life in his hometown. A service that I led. During those four months of preparation, there was a lot of me walking and talking with Jesus about Dad’s life…what to share, who to invite to tell a story, and how to honor Jesus’ overwhelming favor through grace to him. 

Like the Emmaus Road adults, Jesus regularly came alongside me and then seemed to disappear, until he came again, unpredictably, in my preparations.

The only plant delivered to the funeral home for Dad’s service came from my work colleagues at VantagePoint3. They were paying attention to me and knew the tender nature of what I was up to. 

Interestingly, the plant the florist delivered had three different green plants arranged in one container. Those florist-perfect plants often die in my home, but that has not been the case with this one. 

This past Spring, I separated the three plants and put them into their own containers. Six months later, I can report that each of the three green plants is thriving. One is begging for a larger pot, which it will receive. 

I’ve been taking note of the significance of this growth. Quietly watering, musing, all by myself. But not really by myself. Jesus was with me, too. I just didn’t always recognize it. 

A couple of weeks ago, I shared this plant story with my precious workmates, who gave me the original arrangement. I was surprised by how touched they were. We recognized that Jesus had come alongside us, and “our eyes were opened and we recognized him.” 

This time of year, we hear many stories from facilitators leading VantagePoint3 groups, which are full of men and women looking for more of Jesus. These small groups journey together for 20-plus weeks. In these groups Jesus regularly comes alongside them and opens up their eyes to see ordinary things the way He sees them. He multiplies himself among them. 

Our prayer is that we each recognize the risen Jesus in our midst. May we connect the dots of our lives as Jesus yearns for us to do, with abundant redemption and healing. May we walk and talk out the commotion of our days. Jesus IS in our midst.

Now the same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 

As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them, but they were kept from recognizing him….

Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared out of their sight. Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?

Luke 24, vv. 13-16, 31