Day Three Hundred Sixty-Three “Emma”
It would be a slow, sad journey of nearly seven miles on foot. For these two travelers, when the mighty Prophet died upon the cross, all their hopes of rescue from the brutal Roman Empire died with Him. As they traveled to the “village called Emmaus,” Emma-us, or warm well, “they talked together of all these things that had happened in Jerusalem.” A Stranger joined their conversation and asked why they were so “sad.” Do you not understand what has happened, Sir, how can You not know? The prophet, ‘mighty in deed and word before God and the people,” has been ‘condemned to death,’ and they have killed him. We had hoped that He was the Messiah, the One to redeem Israel. We have also heard a rumor that He has risen from the grave; His body is gone. We are so confused.
The Stranger opened the Scriptures unto them and “expounded unto them…the things concerning himself,” for this Stranger was indeed the Christ. When they arrived “nigh unto the village,” they constrained this Man to stay and eat with them, for it was eventide. But the Guest quickly became the Host. As was Eastern custom, bread was not sliced, but served as an entire loaf; one would break off a piece and hand it to another. As this gentle Man broke the bread, “their eyes were opened,” and they realized that the Stranger was indeed the Christ, the One to redeem Israel and the world. He HAD risen! He was the universal Sacrifice for the sins of the world, the Lamb of God. These weary travelers could be whole and complete in Him.
Meet my sweet little Emma, that bundle of energy whose teeny features embody those of her petite mommy. The word Emma is of German origin, the word ermen, and is interpreted whole, complete, universal, all-embracing. And that is exactly what our travelers found on that dusty road so long ago. As they would admit, their hearts would burn within them as they had a close encounter with the One who is all-embracing, the One Who takes our broken lives and creates wholeness. Only in Him do we find the completeness that satisfies our hungry, needy souls. And as that village name is interpreted warm well, it is in Him we find our Living Water, the sustaining water that quenches our spiritual thirst. Emma, what a name!
My prayer is that this little one will find the wholeness and completeness her name defines, the all-embracing love of the One Who had her in mind as He bled and died upon that cross.
Colossians 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.
Complete in You, how thankful I am for that all-embracing love of my Savior!
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