Do you ever wonder if Jesus is walking with you?

On that first Easter Sunday, we read in Luke 24 that two men were heading out of Jerusalem, walking along the road toward a little town called Emmaus. They were part of the larger group of Jesus’s disciples. As they walked, they were talking and processing, trying to make sense of everything that had happened over the weekend with Jesus–His triumphal entry, His arrest, His trial, His crucifixion, His burial, and the news of His resurrection.

They were heartbroken by what had transpired because they had hoped that Jesus really was the Messiah Christ. But he had died. He couldn’t be the Messiah Christ if he died, right? But now there’s news that maybe He’s come back to life. To say the least, they were confused.

As they were trying to figure it all out, the resurrected Jesus actually joined them on the road. Luke tells us, “their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16). He was there with them, walking the same road, matching their pace, listening to their confusion. He even engaged in their conversation, asking questions about the situation being discussed. And they had no idea it was Him.

Beloved, that detail should grab our attention. You know, discouragement has a way of narrowing our vision. Grief, disappointment, and unanswered questions can blind us to a presence we would otherwise recognize immediately. They were wondering about Jesus and where He was, yet He was with them the whole time.

The road to Emmaus teaches us that Jesus is often with us when we don’t realize it. You may not always recognize Him in the moment, but He is never absent from your journey. Sometimes, Jesus is closest when He seems most hidden. Sometimes, He is doing His deepest work before we even know He is there.

You may not recognize Him yet, but Jesus is very likely already drawing near, already walking beside you, already speaking truth into your heart. And at the right moment, He will make Himself clearly known.

Change begins in you!