God Unrecognized: The Grief Walk (Microfiction Story + Journal Prompts)

What would it be like to have God walking with you and not know it? And is it possible that it happens to you all the time?

Microfiction: A Fictionalized, Modern
Retelling of Luke 24:13-35

We had decided to take a walk. I just couldn’t stand being in that gloomy living room with the rest of my friends for another minute.

Normally, I loved to hang out with them. They’d come over, I’d make popcorn and we’d all watch movies. I could count on them to show up a couple of hours after church each Sunday.

But today, we were just sitting there, in silence. And I couldn’t stand it.

When my best friend, Amy, suggested we go for a walk, I was so relieved, I’d have agreed to go jogging – and if you know me, that’s saying something.

We loved walking in our neighborhood, though usually under much happier circumstances. I wasn’t hoping for much from this walk, but I thought maybe it would be nice to feel the soft breeze on my face.

You see, our closest friend had just died. It was shocking to us, although she’d told us she thought something was coming.

She’d just preached a sermon last week that made us both laugh and cry, and today, someone else was standing up there in her spot. How could someone filled with so much light, be struck down in such a violent way?

As we turned the corner, onto the long side street with so many beautiful trees, just beginning to bloom with spring, Amy told me she was considering taking a break from church, because it had been so painful not to see Jessica there today.

We both had loved her from the minute we met her, and we knew they’d pick her to be our new pastor. She had a way of talking about the life of faith that made us want to keep her talking so we could have it exactly the way she described.

We’d just told her that a couple of weeks ago, that we were so grateful for the way she gave us a new and deeper understanding of God, and encouraged us in our faith. She always came over on Sundays, too, so we made her say the prayer whenever we decided against popcorn, in favor of a real meal. She was so kind, so warm and friendly, and so approachable that just being around her made your day better.

I didn’t know how I was going to manage church, without her, either.

But before I could respond, and try to talk us both into sticking with it, we saw someone walking toward us, waving. I thought maybe I’d seen her at church, but when she got up to us, she told us she’d seen us walking around the neighborhood and wanted to walk with us.

Her name was Laura, she said, and she told us she’d heard us talking one day about our church and had wanted to find out which church it was, so she could go check it out. We looked at each other, communicating silently that we’d tell her what had happened, and then began to explain how we’d just lost our pastor.

She listened as we all walked toward the park at the back part of our neighborhood, and it was so good to talk to someone who didn’t know the story. I could tell she really understood how heartbroken we were.

And even though it’s impossible to know what to say to someone in a situation like that, her empathy was perfect, and we knew we’d found another friend.

Amy never mentioned taking a break, but somehow, while those soft breezes became our companions on the way to the park, Laura got us talking about all the other reasons we loved our church, and by the time we reached the park, she not only said she was coming, but got us to agree to meet her there next Sunday. She turned to head back home, but said she was so glad she’d met us and was looking forward to seeing us next week.

We sat down at the park for a while, just hanging out, and I realized that I felt a little bit better. Talking to Laura had really helped.

I mentioned that to Amy when we began the walk back to my house and she said she felt the same way. I think we both felt relieved we’d promised to go to church next week.

I was even looking forward to seeing my friends again back at the house.

This Passage Inspired the Story Above

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. - ESV, BibleGateway.com

Slow faith suggestion: grab your journal & a cup of tea. Then, compare the story I wrote to the Bible verses that inspired it, thinking through the journal questions and applying them to your life. The most important question is the one below...

2 Journal Prompts for Reflection

(1) The fictional walk around the neighborhood was inspired by what happens on the road to Emmaus. I got the idea after reading the passage during a quiet time, and mentally, placing myself into the story.

Give yourself a brief meditation moment & imagine that you are one of the people on that road. What are you feeling?

Imagine having someone come alongside you who makes you feel the way you do during your prayer time with Jesus. The same, but more, because you can see this person, feel his or her energy, hear the person’s voice in response to whatever you say.

How do you think those moments of connection would feel?

Have you ever experienced a Jesus-with-skin-on moment like that before?

(2) Those two people on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Jesus because they were experiencing him in a different way than they had before. What might have made their experience of him different?

Do you think that your experience of him in spirit might be different than it would be if he were walking down the road with you in person?

How can you deepen or shift your connection with him in spirit, so that it’s closer to what what a 5-sensory ultra-magnetic, physically warm & loving connection might be like in person?

Are there times when you don't recognize his presence?

Though the story at the beginning of this post did not actually happen, I believe it could have. I believe that, as women of faith, we have moments like that all the time.

We get distracted or upset, and just when we need most to know that God is right there with us, we don't notice or recognize him.

He understands, of course, because he knows us. But he also wants us to be able to hear his voice, know his presence and connect to his love at any time. The key to doing so is spending more time just connecting.

More slow, Mary faith and less Martha busyness.

Wishing you deeper connection and the certainty of knowing he's with you always.

Love, Jeanine