For a couple of weeks last year, my wife and I joined Christian people in a half dozen places around Japan to learn about God's mission and to encourage each other in gospel outreach. We found that getting around in Japan means walking fast and riding very fast trains with large crowds of people who respect each other's space. We loved it! Guidance from our friend, Larry, who lives in Tokyo, helped. Unlike our solo car commutes here in the United States, commuting by long-distance trains in Japan gave us great opportunities for quiet conversation and thoughtful reflection.

As I reflect on the Easter story, I'm drawn to the two disciples of Jesus from Emmaus and identify with their experience of walking and talking. Maybe you have sensed the Lord's presence or heard his voice in your heart during quiet walks or hectic commutes. Maybe, like our two friends on the road to Emmaus, you also need an infusion of hope. Maybe today looks like a dreary repeat of yesterday with the same problems looming, with key relationships in tangles, and with God seeming far away.

Jesus went to the cross and was raised in power to break through our loneliness and bring us to the Father. He sent his Spirit to speak to our spirits. The Lord may be joining us, wherever we are, right now.