Christian, can you imagine walking side-by-side with Jesus and not recognizing Him? Two of his disciples did just this. As Scripture says, “their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him” (Lk. 24:16). These were men who had walked daily with the Lord, and yet they did not know it was He who now trod along the road with them. In their case, it was the doing of God that their vision was not clear, until He opened their eyes that they might discern that the One who stood before them was the Man whose crucifixion they mourned (Lk. 24:31).

Are you walking with the Lord daily? Brethren, all of us should be. We should be following closely in His steps, as He called anyone who wished to come after Him (Lk. 9:23).

Is it possible, however, that you are walking through life not seeing the Lord before you? Is it conceivable that, though He is present, as He promised He always would be, you do not recognize Him?

He gave you eyes to see and ears to hear; do not fail to perceive and understand that which He has to teach you (Mk. 4:11-12). So what today is clouding your vision to the presence of our Lord? We must lay all hindrances aside if we wish not to be led astray from our simple and pure devotion to Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). Do not allow the cares of this world to obscure your sight or dull your hearing.

He said His sheep know Him and hear His voice and follow Him. Believer, open your ears, so you can hear and follow. He is our Shepherd who lay down His life for us (Jn. 10:11). Through Him we are saved and may go in and out and find pasture (Jn. 10:9).

Love Him, and you will be loved by Him, and He will disclose Himself to you (Jn. 14:21).

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Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotions

Evening, October 29

"But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him." Luke 24:16

The disciples ought to have known Jesus, they had heard His voice so often, and gazed upon that marred face so frequently, that it is wonderful they did not discover Him. Yet is it not so with you also? You have not seen Jesus lately. You have been to His table, and you have not met Him there. You are in a dark trouble this evening, and though He plainly says, "It is I, be not afraid," yet you cannot discern Him. Alas! our eyes are holden. We know His voice; we have looked into His face; we have leaned our head upon His bosom, and yet, though Christ is very near us, we are saying "O that I knew where I might find Him!" We should know Jesus, for we have the Scriptures to reflect His image, and yet how possible it is for us to open that precious book and have no glimpse of the Wellbeloved! Dear child of God, are you in that state? Jesus feedeth among the lilies of the word, and you walk among those lilies, and yet you behold Him not. He is accustomed to walk through the glades of Scripture, and to commune with His people, as the Father did with Adam in the cool of the day, and yet you are in the garden of Scripture, but cannot see Him, though He is always there. And why do we not see Him? It must be ascribed in our case, as in the disciples', to unbelief. They evidently did not expect to see Jesus, and therefore they did not know Him. To a great extent in spiritual things we get what we expect of the Lord. Faith alone can bring us to see Jesus. Make it your prayer, "Lord, open Thou mine eyes, that I may see my Saviour present with me." It is a blessed thing to want to see Him; but oh! it is better far to gaze upon Him. To those who seek Him He is kind; but to those who find Him, beyond expression is He dear!