Notice When You've Stopped Noticing GodSýnishorn

In their defense, they were mourning the shocking death of Jesus, so it is completely reasonable that they didn’t recognize him. But still, I enjoy the humor of this exchange. Jesus asks, "What are you guys talking about?" Cleopus can’t believe any local wouldn’t know the news and proceeds to tell Jesus all about……Jesus!

Cleopus is in good company here. Jacob, Gehazi, you and I, all people who don’t notice God when God is right next to us. Cleopus’s reason is very understandable; he was caught up in his circumstances, overwhelmed by all that was going on. His expectations were not being met, and frankly, when God does not meet your expectations and assumptions, it is difficult to notice God, isn’t it? That is why it is important to pause and ‘remember the Lord.’

I am struck by how Cleopus tells Jesus events that Jesus already knows. This is somehow the beauty of prayer - we often end up telling God things God already knows. That is ok, because we do not pray to inform God about our lives, we pray to relax into God’s sovereign presence, remembering that God is already involved in what we are anxious about.

And so with Cleopus and his companion. They walked with Jesus for several hours, and it was only in the sacramental meal that they recognized him, and he then soon vanished. Isn’t that the way it is, too? We get a glimpse, a moment of clarity, and then poof, Jesus is hard to see again. It takes faith to follow Jesus, and faith is difficult. We need to be kind to ourselves in the ebb and flow of noticing God.

Cleopus said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" That is what we long for, isn’t it? A burning heart in God’s presence, chatting to and fro about all that is going on as God expands our experience and invites us into communion. It's beautiful.

I find it difficult to notice when I’ve stopped noticing God. I am most prone to keep on with my day. That is why I intentionally practice a pause eight to ten times per day. I stop what I am doing and "remember the Lord." Sometimes I intentionally experience a simple gift from God, like the companionship of my dog, or the view of the mountains near where I live, or even taking a deeper-than-normal breath.

What could you do today to relax into God’s presence? Consider making a list of God’s goodness to you and then practicing some of those today. You might find your savior joining right next to you as you go on your own journey of life.