As we move on from the quiet wonder of Easter toward the fire and fullness of Pentecost, the renewal we’ve seen in creation — buds opening, light lengthening, life returning — becomes a living reminder of the God who is always at work beneath the surface of our lives.
The story of the road to Emmaus reveals a God who moves in cycles — renewing, restoring, and resurrecting us in ways we usually only recognise in hindsight. And just as He did for those two weary disciples, Jesus walks beside us far more often than we realise, guiding us into peace even when our hearts are slow to understand.
The Cyclical Rhythms of God’s Work
Around twenty years ago, during a difficult season of my life, I remember pleading with God to make Himself known to me. In that moment, a simple phrase surfaced in my mind:
“My ways are cyclical.”
Then, in a flash, an image formed in my mind— the inner workings of an old mechanical wristwatch. Not just one watch, but many. Each filled with tiny cogs and wheels, all turning in perfect harmony, each dependent on the others to keep time.
It stirred something in me, a recognition that whispered: this is how God’s world works, in patterns, rhythms and seasons
Whether that moment was divine guidance or something long forgotten rising to the surface, it has stayed with me ever since. And now, two decades later, the more I pay attention, the more I recognise it: God’s work unfolding in cycles everywhere I look.
Creation bears witness to this truth—forests knit together by root and canopy, seas pulsing with hidden life, seasons turning like the pages of a well‑worn liturgy. All of it moving in step with God’s rhythm.
And as we look closer we can see nothing stands alone; families, churches, and nations flourish only when each person embraces their God‑given role. Even our bodies testify to this divine design, repeating their hidden miracles in faithful, daily patterns.
And our habits follow these same circles too. It’s no surprise people say, ‘what goes around, comes around,’ because the patterns we continually repeat shape the lives we live – and who we eventually become.
All these cycles are astonishing in their complexity — yet they point to an even greater cycle, one revealed in Jesus’ resurrection:
To live, die, and rest in Christ until the day of resurrection, when we will be raised in immortal bodies.
This is the long-term pattern God has woven into the Christian hope. And the cycle continues in us as we look forward to our own resurrection and the promise of heaven on earth.
The Road to Emmaus — Recognising the Pattern
This story takes place just after Jesus’ death, when His followers were confused and heartbroken.
Two disciples trudged from Jerusalem to Emmaus, grieving Jesus and the future they thought they’d lost.
A stranger joined them, listening as they spoke. They didn’t recognise Him.
He opened the Scriptures, showing that everything had followed God’s pattern — suffering, sacrifice, glory.
Still, they did not see.
Later, at the table, He broke bread for them, and they recognised a familiar rhythm, then their eyes were opened – and they realised Jesus had been with them all along.
In that moment, the pattern became clear. What felt like chaos was God’s timing. What seemed like an ending was resurrection beginning.
Despair turned to joy. Confusion to clarity. Their journey to purpose.
They hurried back to Jerusalem, and as they spoke to the other disciples, Jesus appeared again — completing another cycle of revelation.
Recognising Jesus in Our Daily Steps
We may not have much influence over the cycles of other people’s lives, but we can certainly shape the cycles within our own hearts.
Often, we cling tightly to how we think things should be. We push, we strive, we worry. I know I do — mea culpa.
But the Emmaus story invites us into a different rhythm:
When we stop insisting on our way, and choose Jesus’ way. When we loosen our grip on control, When we allow His will to be resurrected within us, Inner peace begins to develop.
As we journey from the lilies of Easter to the peonies of Pentecost, let us not be slow to recognise Jesus walking beside us.
Let us pay attention to God’s patterns in our daily lives — the gentle nudges, the quiet renewals, the moments of unexpected grace.
Why not pray: “Let Your will be done, Jesus, not mine, in this cycle of my life.”
You may be surprised at what happens next.
When we release our grip and allow Jesus to lead, a beautiful and gentle peace begins to emerge.
And as that peace grows, God’s Kingdom grows a little larger, and heaven draws a little closer.
Visit A Church Near You and learn more about Jesus from other Christians;
The Emmaus story reminds us that Jesus often draws near before we notice Him. This song, Oceans by Steve Green, gives voice to that quiet awakening of the heart.