Emmaus, Sometimes Somewhere

“At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized Him.” Luke 24:31

The images from Joni & Friends Family Retreat camp always warm my heart and lift my spirits. Especially tender, are the pictures of parents with their children, looking with perfect and pure love into the heart of their child (and into the heart of the Father.) Love truly can pour over and overflow past the broken bodies or the illness or infirmities and that have visited their family.

To see love in such a tangible way, is like seeing my heavenly Father gazing at me from His Throne. Just as I am, broken, imperfect, falling, failing, whining and wishing things would be better or different, He just picks me up in a “grace” embrace and smiles.

One of my favorite little returning friends at camp came running up to me when she arrived, expressing her joy in a great big smile and hug, no words were required. We sat down on the couch and I told her “look deep into my eyes, I want you to recognize me when I show up as someone else.” (I have about 4 personalities at Family Retreat, not to mention the real girl too). We got nose to nose, laughed and she promised she would certainly know me when she saw me.

Moments like these offer a small peak behind the curtain of eternity, when we will see Him and recognize His beauty; how He has been here and there all along in the eyes of those we love, in the touch and talk of strangers that have made our day, encouraging us on our way – toward Home.

I can’t wait.

“We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright. We’ll see it all then, see it as clearly as God sees us, knowing Him directly, just as He knows us!” 1 Corinthians 13: 12

Participating in the Joni and Friends Family Retreat each year, gives me the opportunity hundreds of times a day, to look into His eyes.