Finding God in the Familiar and Common

God wants to be found by us.

In fact, He is with us all of the time.

The Road to Emmaus

“When he [Jesus] was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”

“Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread” (Luke 24:30-31, 35, NIV).

Three days after the crucifixion of Jesus, two of his disciples are on a journey to Emmaus when they suddenly encounter someone whom they do not recognize, but who explains to them who the Messiah was as reflected from the Old Testament and how that Messiah is also reflected in the person of Jesus. But for whatever reason, whether overwhelmed by grief and the shocking death of their Messiah, or just unable to grasp the truth that their Messiah had risen from the dead, these two disciples do not recognize that this person talking to them is Jesus.

It was only when Jesus broke bread with them—a specific connection to The Last Supper with the twelve disciples—that their eyes were opened, and they knew who Jesus was. Simply having a meal with these two disciples and the symbolic breaking of bread helped these two see Jesus in their midst.

Elijah and the Mountain of God

“The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him [Elijah] and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God [italics added]” (1 Kings 19: 7-8).

The prophet Elijah was fleeing for his life from Queen Jezebel after a miraculous triumph over the prophets of Baal. Elijah was exhausted and wanted to give up. Instead, he went to the mountain of God. Elijah went to where God would be to find the rest and guidance he needed. Elijah went to where God was, God’s mountain, to be with Him.

The two disciples and their encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus and Elijah’s pursuit of God’s presence remind us that God desires to be found by us. He is always with us, as the writer of Hebrews tells us in 13:5 when he says that God will never leave or forsake us. Unfortunately, it is easy to move through our day and forget about the reality of His presence.

The Familiar and Common

What is powerful about these two stories in the Bible is that these people find God/Jesus in the places and ways where He has already been revealed to them or where they have already encountered Him. Elijah went to the mountain of God because that is where God would be. The two disciples see Jesus in the simple act of breaking bread and the symbolic reminder of Jesus’ death. These are familiar places and experiences, and a beautiful way for God to connect with us in what is familiar.

We can find God in the breaking of bread but also in the mountain top experiences. We can find him in the familiar places where He has met us before and in the common and daily practices that we utilize to connect with Him.

• Where is your mountain where you have experienced God’s presence, heard His voice, and received healing, grace, and restoration?

• What are the spiritual practices and rituals in which Jesus has opened your eyes and revealed to you who He is and what He wants for your life?

• In what way do you need to experience God today, and how might you draw near to Him?

James 4:8, “Come near to God, and He will come near to you” (NIV).