Staying Power

 

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”—Luke 24:27-32

In recent years, studies have shown that for many hard-working families and individuals, Sunday afternoons can be the biggest letdown of the week: Not quite ready to relinquish the weekend, and yet feeling there’s not enough time to enjoy anything of substance because of the nagging mental list of dealing with traffic on the way back from just about anywhere, or the kids’ homework still to be done, or paying bills or doing laundry or any other obligatory task that had been set aside for weekend relaxation.

For entirely different reasons, Christ-ones who regularly go to a building to be Church with other people on Sundays can also relate to that afternoon letdown that sometimes creeps in. You had your heart strangely warmed within by someone’s story of a powerful thing that God has done for them (could He for me, too?), or from a passing word of encouragement, or from a line in a worship song or hymn, or from a scripture verse that seemed to leap off the page so demonstratively that you felt like you were the only person in the room.

And afterwards, a shared meal, another cup of coffee, and another conversation. Or, even a pause in the action to step back and savor the scene of like-minded believers who probably wouldn’t normally hang out with one another mingling, laughing, praying…

…and then, just like that, it ends. Everyone goes their own way and heads for their cars or trucks or motorcycles, and you get in your car to head home—which sounds really appealing, until you turn into your driveway and walk through the door and, as great as it is to be home, you notice that your heart strangely burns once more for what and who and Who is missed, and what is perfect in life's imperfectness.

The enemy can be quick to turn that healthy, eternal longing into several hours of life with Eeyore, where like the people in the Sunday afternoon blahs studies, everything is painted with a gloomy cloud that follows you everywhere.  It's good to know, however, that there is something fantastic to be learned from the Emmaus Road guys. As they turned into their own “driveway,” instead of sighing, they uttered one simple three-word prayer: “Stay with us!”

The Psalmist puts it another way:

“Within Your temple [in Your presence], O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.”—Psalm 48:9

In this case, meditate means to linger. It’s a conscious reminder to not be quick to get back into the routine of life and leave the taste of Eternity behind, but to carry it with us into your Sunday afternoon and every other morning/afternoon routine, and let it linger a bit—even something as simple as hitting replay on the song through which God is speaking to you at that moment instead of just going on to “next.”

It’s good, and normal, to have a burning heart that is not easily satisfied with life as usual, on Sunday afternoons or any other time of the week, because the foretaste of the promise that is yet to come is in every King's kid's DNA.

What’s even better is to know that whenever we pray “stay with us!," the invitation will never be refused.

“Lord we pray, for the afternoon, that it may not be wasted, but that it might be used in some good positive way: to know thee better; to cultivate spiritual things; to do good unto all men; to witness your saving grace to a world that’s dying. And now may grace and mercy and peace from God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost be with us.” — AW Tozer