If we believed in the Presence of God, we would seek Him more earnestly. If we sought Him—sought Him earnestly, patiently, and persistently with all our heart—we would know His Presence more continually and enjoy Him more fully (Jeremiah 29:13). 

With us, with Him.

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16.11

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
Luke 24.13-16

How could they have missed it?

This is the question many ask about the disciples on the road to Emmaus: How could they have failed to recognize Jesus? The answer is in our text: “their eyes were restrained”. Their eyes would be opened later so that they knew Him (v. 31), and since both these conditions are phrased in the passive voice, we assume that God was doing the restraining and the opening of their eyes.

And that is certainly true. But as in all situations in our lives, God is sovereign, sustaining, guiding, strengthening, and using His people according to His good and perfect will. Be we also have a role to play in looking to the Lord, following the guidance of His Word and Spirit, drawing on His strength by faith and obedience, and being willing for Him to use us. He is at work within us for His pleasure, but we have a role as well (Phil. 2.12, 13).

So, while God was sovereignly ruling the eyes of those two disciples, did they have a role in their inability to see Jesus? I believe they did. From the words of other disciples, it seems clear that none of those who had become followers of Jesus Christ expected Him to rise from the dead. Not Mary Magdalene (Jn. 2.0.1, 2, 13). Neither Peter nor John (John “believed” but not that Jesus had been raised, Jn. 20.9). Not Thomas (Jn. 20.24, 25). None of those who believed in Jesus and were His followers believed that He had risen from the dead. Why not?

They were predisposed against such a thing. Even though they had seen Jesus raise others from the dead, they had never seen anyone raise themselves from the dead. Nothing in their experience told them this was possible. And they did not understand either the Scriptures or the teaching of Jesus on this matter.

The disciples on the Emmaus Road did not recognize Jesus because they were predisposed against the idea that they could know His Presence with them again.

But that all changed when Jesus opened their eyes.

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