Good Morning All,
John 14:6; “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
We were finishing up our gardening projects for the year. We had picked the squash and were finishing the pumpkins. As I was standing in the middle looking for more pumpkins, my wife said, “right, right of your left foot!” I almost twisted into the ground trying to follow those directions but I did finally see the pumpkin.
Giving directions seems so easy but receiving them can be hard. Ask a local person for directions and you might get, “go two, three, four miles up this road and turn where the Johnson’s barn used to be then head north for three, four, five miles then turn left at the dead tree; you can’t miss it.” Or my favorite, “you can’t get there from here.” Most now rely on GPS but even they can lead you astray if you are not careful.
We all like to be told exactly what to do and how to accomplish it. Just give me simple directions and life will be good but we seldom get good directions and we are left confused. Our verse helps us out. This verse occurs during the time when Jesus and the disciples are in the upper room on Thursday before Jesus is crucified. He is explaining everything to the Disciples but they are still not quite clear. Jesus tells them that he is going to prepare a place for them and then will return to get them and you know the way to go. Thomas asks, “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus responds with our verse. “I am the way.”
How do we get to heaven? How do we survive this world? Where do we find hope? Where do we find peace? Where do we find justice? Where do we find eternal life? When you are looking for the answers; when you seek the direction to go, Jesus is the answer! He brings us hope and peace, life and eternal joy. Jesus truly is the answer to all these questions; so why is it so hard?
It is hard because we don’t like to take directions! We would rather take our own path because we think our path is better or at least as good. So, we try to change God’s law and follow a different route but it always leads to failure and ruin. We listen to the wrong voices and we go further down the hole, more confused and completely lost. Yet Jesus continues to call us back, back to the truth of who he is, what he does for us and how he gives us life eternal. It is Jesus who calms every storm; it is Jesus who relieves each fear; it is Jesus who rescues us from all the devil throws at us. In Jesus, we can have confidence and boldness as we go forward knowing that we are safe within his eternal kingdom. Jesus is what we need for peace in our lives.
Father of all mercies, give to us your peace. Lead us to follow the voice of Jesus and to see him alone as our hope and comfort. Defend us from the arrows of the devil and the doubts of our own heart. Keep us safe we pray, in Jesus’ precious name, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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