Walking

Charles Johnson and The Revivors sang “I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.”  (Here’s a rendition by Jesse, David, and Guy.)
In the lyrics it says:

“I thought I could do a lot on my own;

    I thought I could make it all alone.

I thought of myself as a mighty big man; (but I found out later)

    I can’t even walk without You holding my my hand.

            I can’t even walk without You holding my hand;

                The mountain’s too high, the valley’s too wide;

            Down on my knees I learned to stand;

                Because I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.”

I can’t walk very far.  I run out of breath and my stamina is low.  Plus I’m an old guy that’s badly out of shape!! 

But you know, there were two guys walking on the road to Emmaus, which is about 7 miles from Jerusalem.  7 miles!  (Frankly I can’t imagine walking 1 mile!) They didn’t think a thing about it.  They needed to go, the only way they had to go was to walk, and so they started on their journey.  Besides they had much to talk about.

Jesus had left the tomb.  There were witnesses who claimed to have seen an angel who told them Jesus was alive!!

As they walked another guy joined them. They didn’t recognize Him, and He asked them “what are you talking about?” 

I can imagine them looking at each other and thinking “where has this guy been, under a rock?”  They asked out loud “Don’t you know what things have happened in the last few days??”

“What things?”

Again, that look between them. But they explained to this traveler what had happened, how Jesus was a strong prophet, powerful in the Word of God.  They had hoped He was going to be the One who redeemed Israel, but the chief priests had handed Him over to be crucified.

“But get this” they said.  “This is the third day, and some of our women went to the tomb, and found it empty!  Not only that, they had a vision of angels who said Jesus was alive!!  So some of our friends went to the tomb and found it empty like the women said; but, they did not see Jesus.”

This man said “you guys are pretty slow and kind of foolish to not believe all that the prophets have said up to now!  Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things, and then enter into His glory?  Listen….”

And for the rest of their journey as they walked through the miles, He explained what was said in all the scriptures, beginning with Moses and through all the Prophets, concerning Himself. 

And there they were, at Emmaus.  It was early evening, and they compelled this traveler to stay with them.  He did, and when they sat down to eat, He gave thanks, broke bread and gave it to them, and they recognized Him!!

And He disappeared.

Then they looked at each other with wide eyes and jaws dropped against their chests, and said “Didn’t our hearts tell us it was HIM as we walked and HE taught us the scripture??”

They  immediately got up and returned to Jerusalem.  They walked another 7 miles!  I tend to suspect the return trip was a pretty fast walk!  Did they walk chattering excitedly about what had happened?
“Can you believe it?!?  It was HIM!!”  “I can’t believe we didn’t know HIM!!”  “Wait until we tell the others!”  And did that chatter fall to silence, filled with contemplation of the significance of what they had just experienced?

They found the eleven disciples and told them of their experience, and Jesus appeared in their midst.  After proving to them He was indeed Himself (“Look at my hands and my feet” and eating before them) he calmed their fears and doubts.

Luke 24:
⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰ When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.  ⁵¹While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. ⁵² Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. ⁵³ And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

As a child, with a parent, holding onto His hand.