Mark Collins
Pastor
Meadow UMC
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? Luke 24:32
Now Luke tells us of two men walking to a village called Emmaus and on the way a stranger joins them who seems to be unaware of what has happened in Jerusalem. Of course for those familiar with the story of the road to Emmaus knows that this stranger was Jesus who had been crucified.
As they continued to walk, Jesus, starting with Moses and all the prophets, opened up the Scripture concerning Himself to them. They still didn’t know it was the Lord until He broke bread with them but something was happening as Jesus expounded on the Scriptures.
As soon as Jesus left them they said to each other, “Did not our heart burn within us;” to burn here is to set on fire, to kindle. Their hearts burned even though they didn’t know it was Jesus. His presence, without a doubt, is enough to kindle a fire within and I believe the Scriptures being explained also caused them to be set afire.
This kindling of a fire within someone is not limited to those in the Bible. This burning is still strong today as Christians read and study the Bible, the Holy Spirit opens the Scriptures up to us. The presence of our Lord is there when we read His word. With prayer and time in the Word, God reveals to us who He is as Jesus did for the two men on the Emmaus road
Nothing can take the place of time spent in the Word of God, the Bible. Sunday morning sermons or Wednesday night Bible studies are great but we are missing out and our hearts may not burn within us if don’t begin with personal study of the Bible.
I’m sure many of you have felt that burning when you were reading and praying and suddenly a verse that you had read many times before comes alive. The burning within may have started because of some event in your life or a sermon you just heard. However it starts, you know it is from God.
For others, you may never have felt the burning; that passion within. The Holy Spirit wants to work in your life, to set your heart on fire, to reveal to you for the first time or in a way you have never experienced Him before.
Take time to study your Bible, pause for moments to listen for the Lord. Expect to be kindled from within and experience the work of the Resurrected Lord.
