Self-preoccupation can be a barrier to recognizing the presence of the Lord in your lives. Our immediate concerns can blind us to the Savior of the world. We are preoccupied by our aches and pains, by the last telephone call, text message, email, Facebook posting, next doctor’s appointment, family urgency, bill to pay, that we cannot see the wood for the trees. Life becomes one thing after another. The laundry has to be done, groceries have to be purchased, the car washed and serviced, the details of daily life have to be taken care of. We become preoccupied with the struggle to keep on top of our priorities. Life becomes a daily slog from morning until night. As we grow older we become exhausted more easily and feel that we cannot keep up with all the demands upon us. No wonder so many of us move to a retirement facility where our responsibilities can be lessened and our basic needs catered to. As we age we become more and more preoccupied with our health and wellbeing. We worry more about our future, and, what we used to take in our stride becomes a burden. We have to keep up with our children and grandchildren and all their challenges and concerns. We worry about them. Chuck Swindoll writes about being absorbed with the endless details of life. How can we avoid that? How can we rise above those petty concerns?

In all the rush and bustle of life we do not recognize the Lord walking along with us. Church and religion and the matters of faith can become just another pedestrian activity that we miss out on the presence and power and peace that the Savior brings. How can we break out of our preoccupation with our own problems to recognize the Resurrected Lord of Life walking with us? The answer comes as the Lord speaks to them. “What are you talking about?”

Secondly, what kept them from recognizing the presence of the Lord with them is their self-pity. They shared with him their disappointment in what happened to Jesus, their dashed hopes of a redeemed Israel and their incredulity about the reports that he was alive. Their expectations had been unfulfilled, and they could not believe in the possibility of a different outcome. They high-tailed it out of Jerusalem as soon as they could and headed home. They were as disillusioned as they could possibly be. Their idealism was destroyed, they felt betrayed, and they grew angry and cynical.

So it is with all of us when our hopes and expectations have not been met. The longer we live we experience sorrow and suffering, bereavement and grief. People let us down. Hope dies. We are saddened by changing circumstances, the loss of friends and family members, tragic accidents and the toll of disease and pain. We can become bitter and resentful. God becomes less real. Doubts creep in and take control of our thoughts. We don’t see any possibility of improvement in our lives. We suffer from fear and anxiety. How can we overcome our disappointments, our dashed hopes and our incredulity?

What did Jesus do? Jesus confronted them with their foolishness, their self-pity and their reluctance to heed the teaching of Scripture.

He took time to explain to them what the Scriptures taught about himself. Here is the way to deal with barriers to perception. Read the Scriptures and believe what they have to say about the Savior and the promises of God. “I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please… what I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.” (Isaiah 46:10,11) God is sovereign. He is working out his purpose and plan of salvation for the world and for your life. God will take care of you no matter what happens. Trust in him.

Don’t be slow of heart, but be quick to believe the promises of the Word of God. Instead of being pre-occupied with your own problems lift your eyes above the daily grind and look at the eternal words of Scripture. You get perspective on your life when you see it in the context of God’s plan of salvation. Listen to his voice as he speaks to you through the prophetic word of Scripture. The more you read and meditate upon the promises and perspective of Scripture the less preoccupied you will be with your own problems. The more your mind is formed by the promises and perspective of the prophetic Word of God the more realistic will be your earthly expectations, and the greater your eternal hope will grow. As you age you will rejoice that your salvation is nearer than when you first believed. Heaven is nearer with all its glory and the allure of this life will fade. You will be more concerned with laying up treasures in heaven than taking care of the treasures on earth where moth and rust devour and thieves come in and steal. Your daily time in the Scriptures will become more important than your other activities and more satisfying.

Despite not recognizing Jesus, the two disciples must have been impressed enough by their companion’s biblical knowledge to strongly urge him to stay with them. The barrier to perception can so often be the busyness of our lives when we have no time for the Savior. We can put off following through on our search for answers in life because we are so busy, we get tired, the day is almost over and we cannot be bothered. We neglect our devotional time when we can be inspired and encouraged by meditation on the Word of God. Yet their making time and room for Jesus resulted in their eyes being opened and they recognized him in the breaking of bread. The familiar action of the Last Supper resulted in their experiencing the perception they needed to see him for who he truly was. Then they realized what had happened to them, and how their hearts burned within them while he talked to them on the road and opened the Scripture to them.

Do you want your heart to burn within you? Let Jesus talk with you on the road of life as you read the Scriptures with him at your side. Take time to gain the eternal perspective that the Scripture will give you. Take time to invite Jesus to stay with you. Let him be the host at your table, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation. A prayer I learned as a child from the Book of Common Prayer expresses my desire:

Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scripture to be written for our learning; Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me.

Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready, my God, Thy will to see;
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!
(Clara H. Scott)

(Ted’s blog is found at www.ameliachapel.com/blog. His books are found on www.amazon.com. SOUL FOOD: DAILY DEVOTIONS FOR THE HUNGRY, Vol.2, April, May, June is now available.)