Day 36 of Lent :: Hope Deferred

“But we were hoping…”
(Luke 24:21)

The two disciples walking along the Road to Emmaus were confused and disillusioned.  They had possessed great hope that Jesus was indeed the One Who was going to “redeem Israel.” (Luke 24:21)  But, that was before His arrest, the trial, the flogging, and, most notably, the crucifixion.  After all, this was the “third day since all this took place.” Their hope had begun to fade.  The wisdom writer, in the Book of Proverbs, reminds us, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs13:12)

Reflection: In what ways are you like the two disciples walking along the Road to Emmaus?  Are there prayers you have been praying, perhaps even for years, that have yet to be answered?  Is there something you have been hoping for from God that has not come to pass?  How has this deferment affected you, your outlook on life, your view of God, and how you interact with others?  Has your heart grown sick?  The tomb reminds us that things are not always as they seem.  Jesus’ body was inside the tomb, wrapped in burial clothes, void of life.  But death was not the final word.  The tomb reminds us that regardless of how things currently look, Sunday is coming!