When Our Hearts Burn Within Us: Finding God’s Presence in a Busy Season

“Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” Luke 24:32

As we come to the end of the year, I am trying not to get wrapped up in the holiday mayhem. Is it me or does all of life go on fast forward after December 1st? I am trying to be intentional about how I choose to spend my hours and days, to make Christmas about Christ. Even still, I find myself still stressed. Trying to give thoughtful gifts. Trying to find the best advent ideas to bring home the idea of Christ to my kids, trying to make Christmas special yet intentional. Trying to stay in the word. Trying to keep my commitments to church and other people. Yet, if it’s just me checking boxes, how dry and unspecial it becomes. Then there are the daily demands of parenthood; disciplining when it's hard (and it’s always hard), homeschooling, meeting physical needs, managing the house, trying to work on our marriage. Maybe for you, the circumstances are different but equally draining at times; being a caregiver for an elderly parent, working long hours, being a single parent. At the end of the day, especially in a busy season, it can leave you emotionally spent.

Yet, I am reminded that long ago and today, it is Christ’s presence that opens hearts and minds. It is Christ’s presence that refreshes. In the scripture mentioned above, I love that the disciples zeroed in on how to identify Christ. It was after the crucifixion and two of his followers were walking on the road to Emmaus talking about all that had occurred, trying to make sense of it all, probably feeling absolutely devastated and confused. Verses 15 and 16 say, “...Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” They went on pouring their hearts and minds about all that had occurred, and Jesus, patiently, kindly “interpreted” scripture for them from the time of Moses until the present regarding Himself. He emphasized how ALL of the scriptures point to Jesus. Afterwards, they couldn’t get enough. They begged him to stay and eat with them. When Jesus broke the bread and blessed it, their eyes were opened. And then he was gone…poof…just like that. The two disciples were so amazed that scripture says they left that very hour, late in the evening, and made the seven mile journey back to Jerusalem (approximately 2-3 hr walk) to tell the other disciples what had happened.

“Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” Luke 24:35

In Aramaic, the word for heart is not just the organ, but the emotions, the will, the mind, the core of one’s being. When Jesus starts to discuss scripture with them, he zeroes in on the problem right away with a gentle rebuke: “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe…” (Luke 24:25 a). I am amazed while reading this, that they still didn’t know it was Jesus at this point, but scripture stated that it was hidden from them. Jesus seems to indicate that lack of belief and understanding can originate in the heart. Here are some more scriptures to consider:

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12

"Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails" Proverbs 19:21

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you..." Ezekiel 36:26-27

I love this connection between the presence of the Lord and our hearts.

God’s presence is living and active. It is refreshing. It is living water. He is sovereign over our hearts which include our emotions, our understanding! This burning is likened to the power of the holy spirit. The holy spirit that is promised to dwell within us as believers, yet we have to choose to make room for him in our lives. To abide with Him. Have you ever gotten a new impression while reading scripture, a feeling of awe, a sense that this applies to your life, a stirring, a burning? That is God speaking to you directly through His word. But how often do we overlook His word in favor of a quick fix. It’s noteworthy that the two disciples had to tell someone immediately following what had happened. Jesus’ presence stirred up their souls, made them feel alive and prompted them to show hospitality and then share the good news about what happened. They simply had to tell the others what had happened. Their awe and amazement fueled them.

Christ chose to enter the disciples' sadness and discouragement, to meet with them, to break bread. He had just defeated death itself and could have enjoyed being done. But, he was concerned about his disciples. He chose to encourage them, to see what they had understood and to teach them once again. He met them where they were, which apparently was walking away from Jerusalem. Possibly going back to their lives? Or walking away for fear of the Jews? We don’t know for sure. We know by the text that they were grieved and their hearts broken. What they had hoped would happen did not happen. He opened their understanding of scripture to strengthen them during incredible discouragement. And he still does that today! He showed them that all of scripture is about Jesus and God’s plan of redemption. He enabled their understanding to encourage and strengthen their hearts.

So, what to do with this knowledge in our busy, fast paced world where everything feels important or during times that deeply disappoint us. Even scripture alerts us to the fact to guard our hearts…that our hearts can be deceitful, especially in a culture that encourages us to follow our hearts at any cost, really. And the cost often is our peace and connection with Christ.

I think there is something to be learned by Jesus spending time alone seeking fulfillment from his heavenly father. He carried the literal weight of the world on his shoulders. Sometimes I can't even handle carrying the weight of my world! The good news is I don’t have to. Just as he trusted his father and constantly prioritized time with him, despite being responsible for SO much, I have to leave that margin for the Lord and my shepherd to guide me, to fulfill me.

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3

We invite the holy spirit to do His work through prayer and by making room for God to speak through his word. To look at our schedule and create margin, which feels so wrong to our flesh and our culture. To elevate God’s plan above our need for a “perfect” or a resolved situation. To prioritize time with the Lord and to let it guide you and shape you. Maybe to walk away from things that don’t truly fulfill in order to have room for what does. I heard this quote the other day, and it hit me so hard. Perhaps, because I needed to hear it most of all.

“To eliminate the unnecessary to allow the necessary to speak.” Hans Hofmann

The bible says something similar.

“Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Death clarifies life; true life. Just as Moses prayed for an eternal mindset, so do we need to let the Lord mold our priorities.

I also think it’s important to note that the disciples shared their grief with each other. They did not go it alone like I am often tempted to do. Jesus found them discussing it together, and He met them right where they were.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:20

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.” Luke 24:15

How incredible! Jesus himself drew near…I am always amazed and challenged by people who are good at hospitality. I think the heart of hospitality is inviting people into your world and life even when it’s challenging and letting yourself and them be fully seen. It’s not the picture perfect time or scene. It challenges me to be better.

So, friends, in this season that can be so joyous but can also sometimes feel like madness or loneliness, let's draw near to the designer of our heart and leave room for Him to do His work in our lives, to allow for some holy “burning” within our hearts.