Luke 24:15
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

It’s hard to imagine the sense of loss that all of the disciples felt after the death of Jesus. Not only had they lost their teacher, guide and friend, someone whom they loved dearly, but their hopes were shattered that they would be delivered from the oppression they faced every day. And on top of that were the confusing stories of His body gone missing and rumors that He was actually alive. Certainly their hearts were heavy, and as they took this journey and tried to process everything that was happening, an unexpected companion comes along.

Jesus Himself drew near to these hurting hearts because He doesn’t want us to remain in our sadness and misunderstanding, but He wants us to experience a close walk with Him that brings us joy and wholeness. Confusing things will happen in our lives. Heartbreaking things will happen in our lives. Things will happen that turn our world upside down. Hardships and sorrows seem to be around every corner. But as we go our way trying to sort through the chaos, Jesus comes along and goes with us. He will give us wisdom and understanding about what is happening, and He offers comfort for any hurt that we feel.

Will we welcome Jesus as a close companion in our lives, or do we sometimes push Him away? Do we fold into our sorrow and build a wall around our heart, or will we let Him in? Will we throw our hands up in despair or let Jesus reveal the truth that will give us strength to keep going? His whole purpose was to reconcile us to the Father and take us as His own. And He desires to fix all that is broken within us, to heal our hurts, and to help us grow.

Life is often a difficult and painful journey. But we never have to walk alone. And as Jesus draws near to us, let us draw near to Him and walk in close fellowship. He will be our guide and companion as we navigate the windy paths and face unseen challenges. He offers us comfort, peace and rest that we won’t find anywhere else. So may we trust in our Lord in every circumstance of our lives and find the refreshment we need in Him in order to keep going on our way.