I’ve often thought about how fascinating it would be to have a time machine. I would not want to go into the future—quite content figuring out the present, thank you—-but it would be an incredible experience to relive some of the most momentous events of the past.

Maybe I grew up listening to too much Adventures in Odyssey, but if I had my own personal Imagination Station, I would never get bored of reliving some of the biggest moments in history.

I would travel to Gettysburg on November 19, 1863 to hear President Lincoln proclaim that all men are created equal. Then, I’d hop over to Boston to help bust some chests and pitch a few leaves into the harbor during the Tea Party. Speaking of freedom, I’d also book a ticket for Egypt so I could be present when the Red Sea parted and the Hebrews marched across the dry ocean floor.

I would also make an entirely selfish trip to Steventon, England, in hopes of convincing Jane Austen to make a last minute edit to Pride and Prejudice so that Mr. Collins and Mary Bennett wound up together at last. No two characters were more perfect for each other. I even have the perfect solution—-let Charlotte die of consumption, make Mr. Collins mourn around Longbourn for a year, and have a faithfully devoted Mary comfort him in his grief.

But there is one trip that would mean the most to me. If I had an opportunity to travel to any moment in the past, I would pick to be on the Road to Emmaus with Cleopas and his friend, just after Christ’s crucifixion.

If you are not familiar with the story, the setting is seven miles away from Jerusalem. Two of Jesus’ followers are traveling back to the city after enduring three days of disillusionment. Even after seventy-two hours, Scripture tells us that they were still “talking about everything that happened.” As they talked and walked, a stranger appeared, and joined them on the journey. “While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them, but they were kept from recognizing him. Then he said, “What are these things you are talking about while you walk?” (Luke 24:15-17 NCV)

Imagine the men’s surprise. Here is a man who appears to not have heard about the biggest headline of the week—–or more accurately, the biggest story of all time. “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who does not know what just happened there,” asked Cleopas.

Jesus knew the facts all right. But like any good listener, he chose to let them tell him their side of the story. Once they told him the condensed (and unfinished) version, the Stranger took over. “Then Jesus said to them, ‘You are foolish and slow to believe everything the prophets said. They said that Christ must suffer these things before he enters his glory.’ Then starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:25-27)

Although the discussion was not recorded, the Bible does tell us the aftereffects in the hearts of the two men. “They said to each other, ‘It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us.’” (Luke 24:32)

This is exactly the moment in time I would choose to revisit.

Seven miles of walking and listening to the Son of God tell HIStory from the beginning would be an experience a person would never forget.

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