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Justin Franich

Devotional

Walking With You Before You Knew It

June 12, 2025·2 min read·Justin Franich
Two young girls walking on a grassy path at Antietam battlefield, following a group ahead on an autumn day

Scripture

"And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." — Luke 24:27 (NKJV)


The disciples had no idea who they were talking to.

They're walking to Emmaus, heartbroken and confused. Jesus shows up and starts walking with them. He asks what they're discussing. They're stunned that this stranger hasn't heard about everything that happened in Jerusalem. So they tell Him the whole story, their whole disappointment, not realizing they're talking to the very person they're mourning.

Jesus was with them before they recognized Him.

I think about that when I look back on my own life. Seasons before I knew Christ. Moments that should have ended differently. Situations where, by all logic, I shouldn't have made it through.

At the time, I had no idea what was happening. I couldn't see any divine protection. I wasn't looking for God. But now, looking back, I can trace His fingerprints all over those years.

He was walking with me before I knew it was Him.

Maybe you're in a season right now where you can't feel God's presence. Your expectations have been shattered. Your hopes feel dead. You're trudging down your own road to Emmaus, confused and disappointed.

I want you to know: Jesus is closer than you think.

He doesn't wait until we have it figured out to show up. He walks with us in our confusion. He's present in our disappointment. And sometimes it's not until later, when we sit down and look back, that we realize He was there all along.

That's how hope works with God — it's rooted in a track record. And sometimes faith means saying yes without knowing the outcome, trusting that He's been faithful before and He'll be faithful again.

Prayer Prompt

Think about a difficult season from your past. Ask God to show you where He was walking with you, even when you couldn't see Him. Thank Him for His presence you didn't recognize at the time

Justin Franich, Executive Director of Shenandoah Valley Adult Teen Challenge

Justin Franich

Justin Franich is a Teen Challenge graduate who overcame a meth addiction and has been clean since 2005. He spent over a decade leading Christ‑centered recovery programs and now serves as Executive Director of Shenandoah Valley Adult Teen Challenge, helping families find the right path forward and supporting people as they rebuild life after addiction.

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