Personal Object Lessons - Redeemer

Redeemer

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” Job 19 v 25

I have never used a pawn broker but I am well aware of their existence and often see people entering and leaving the premises with looks of sadness on their faces.  There were many more pawn brokers when I was younger and we did learn about them as a part of growing up.

People would take treasured items to the shop and leave with money and a redemption ticket; the plan was that they would return at a later date and redeem their valuable goods when they had paid all the outstanding charges. Therefore the pawn ticket became a positive and important reminder of the promise to return and be reunited with their valuables.

There are times when it seems impossible to return to a better condition. We have many examples of people who have given up and lost their faith in something better. When Job was experiencing extreme negativity and severe personal trials he did not throw his hands up in the air and curse God, as Job’s wife suggested (Job 2 v 9), instead he retain his faith in the Redeemer he knew existed.

It was the ancient Hebrew custom that family members would always be recovered when they had been captured or enslaved; this is the same meaning that Job used in this verse, “I know that my redeemer liveth,” (Job 19 v 25. Job had unshakeable faith that everything that had been taken away from him would be restored once again, one day. This verse heralds the truth of the immortality of Jesus Christ and the promise of His return to earth before He had even been the first time.

Job could be seen as one of the first positive thinkers. He had every reason – it seemed – to become despondent and negative, yet he remained convinced of an act of redemption. In a short time Job had lost practically all he had: his children, his possessions, his health, his wife’s support, and the reassurance and comfort of his friends.

But this man said – in conversation with God, “I know that thou canst do everything, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.” (Job 42 v 2) It was primarily because Job had a personal relationship with God that he did not doubt that everything would be restored. Job knew that he would be delivered from the torment and the experience of separation and loss that he was enduring; he knew this because he had already put his trust and faith in God.

One of Job’s friends, Eliphaz, questioned Job’s connection to God. Eliphaz suggested that Job needed to “Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come to thee.” (Job 22 v 21) It was Eliphaz’s opinion that Job was suffering because of a distant relationship with God, and that was why bad things were happening to him. Sometimes we are confronted with people who do not believe what we believe, they think our faith in a Redeemer is ill-founded and that we cannot have the correct relationship with God if we do not hold the same views as them.

Job’s friends and his wife were all mistaken. Job seemed to be the only one who was aware that he held the pawnbroker’s ticket to redemption. Job knew, without any doubt, that he would be reunited with all that was taken from him. Job believed that the promise of redemption was real ... and he lived his life in accordance with his beliefs.

When you know that you have an inheritance you are not willing to forfeit it just because the current situation may be causing you to struggle. It’s like having the last copy of someone’s last will and testament that entitles you to receive untold riches – you are unlikely to destroy it or give up on it because you know that the document provides you with a plan of deliverance from one state to another. So it is with the Redeemer.

Christ Jesus has promised to return and redeem us all. He has paid the full price, with His life, and our deliverance is now guaranteed. There is no chance of a default or any forfeiting of His right to take us to the earth made new, we have been redeemed and we will be freed from this sin-filled earthly life one day soon.

Personal Object Lessons - Questions and Queries

“Ask and it shall be given you;” Matthew 7 v 7

My life is full of questions. I always seem to be trying to find out ‘Why?’ In this respect I have continued to be like a small child who constantly asks why in order to understand the world around them.

Children invariably go to their parents, or care-givers, for their answers. Usually they get what they are seeking. The child learns step by step and the emerging world becomes less daunting to them. As I have grown up I, like most people, believe that I have outgrown my parents’ knowledge. I stopped going to them for answers in my early teenage years. Many queries remained unasked and therefore unanswered for many years after that.

What I have found is that it is usual to seek answers from a source that you trust. From a source that you believe can provide the answer you are searching for.

I still have an enquiring mind and I like to read so I have managed to find out some answers to a few burning questions that had remained with me for years. However, there are some areas that stump me and it’s at times like this that I may turn to the Bible. Matthew  7 v 7 says “Ask and it shall be given you”. I wondered if this was accurate for all things that I could desire so I read further. In John 14 v 13 it states, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do”, that sounds just perfect, but this is not a formula for selfish requests, the verse continues in this way, “that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”

Therefore the request to God has a precondition, they will be granted as long as the Father is glorified by fulfilling the request. I wanted to know how I could know if God would be glorified by what I was asking.

As with many questions, one generates another. I have frequently found myself to be in a spiral of queries and not able to see the way out of them all. Again, I reach for the wisdom of trusted friends or the guidance to be found in the Bible. I reason that if I don’t get the full answer from one place then at least I will have gained some light and be able to look in another place for the rest.

This is what the Bible has to say about asking for things, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11 v 24. Therefore in exercising faith my desire and belief are fulfilled. There is an additional verse in 1 John 3 v 22 that explains why the requests are granted; it’s about obedience to the commandments of God. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

It appears that all our questions will be answered if we act in accordance with God’s commands.

The obvious next question for me is “What are God’s commandments?” As I said, one question often leads to another. I always gain insight from my search, but sometimes I end up with many more questions than answers. So I go back to the beginning and ask all over again.

In this way, I think that I never grow up; I remain child-like as I constantly seek guidance and direction from God. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

©MHMorgan 2011

Personal Object Lessons - Peace

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” Isaiah 26 v 3

It’s nothing new to say that we live in troubled times. It seems that we are always talking about the bad things that happen to us, how then can we remain peaceful and remember to also focus on the good things? How can we find peace?

If it was a simple matter surely everybody would be doing it, right? Maybe it is an easy thing to do after all but not many people believe it because it is so simple. Because we live in such a complex world we have a tendency to have an aversion to the straightforward things in life. Simple solutions become suspect amidst the chaos and speed of everyday life.

However, I have found that getting back to basics has a lot of positive results.

One of my favourite verses in the whole bible is found in Isa 26 v 3, it states, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” This verse has kept me strong through so many tense and worrying situations. I have sometimes used it in a chant-like manner to remind myself that peace is guaranteed to me. It has worked.

So, how could this work for other people. I’m not suggesting that everyone goes around chanting the same verses over and over, what I am saying, and this is something that has worked for me, is that whenever possible it has been a good idea for me to think about God, His goodness, His provisions, His love and His promises.

Does that sound too simplistic? On one hand it could sound like a formula for robotic behaviour, but this would never be possible because each person is unique with their thoughts. So, how could thinking about the same subject, God, help to ensure a state of peaceful living? I ask this because so many people believe in God, but as many people as there are believing there are also that many interpretations of God’s will. How can that lead to a state of peacefulness?

The answers are, I think, in the Bible. Heb 12 v 14 states, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God.” By loving each person we meet and wishing the best for them - as we would for ourselves - I think we will each be on the path towards wider peaceful living.

What about when we feel guilty regarding something? How do we find peace then?  Rom 5 v 1 says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Consequently faith and peace appear to be linked. We have to believe that our guilt – be it real or imagined – is taken away from us. As we follow this road of belief we relax in the comfort of peaceful reassurance because we gain a sense of rightness.

Isa 32 v 17 “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” From the beginning of peace we can follow the route to eternal assurance and quietness of mind. That sounds blissful. That sounds possible. It is.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16 v 33) Therefore it is clear that we can still have a deep experience of peace while facing trials and tribulations each day. We are guaranteed that peaceful mind because it is a gift from God.

Jesus knows that when we are connected to Him and focussed on Him we will gain the peace we search for, we will overcome the troubles of the times that we inhabit. He has promised to give us peace, and His promises never fail.

 ©MHMorgan 2011

Personal Object Lessons - I AM

“... Before Abraham was, I am.” John 8 v 58

Who are you? Who do you think you are? This is a question that nearly all of us are faced with at some time or another in our lives – often from ourselves. There are numerous books and programmes that all ask the same question about identity, they ask about ancestry, they ask about personal history. People have an innate desire to know the truth about just who the other person is. People also want to know the truth about themselves: just who am I? Why am I here? What am I doing? The answers to these questions are as complicated as the questions themselves. We are complex beings always searching for a better way, a brighter path, and the right thing.

When Jesus Christ was asked the question about His identity by a group of hostile Jews He answered them by saying “I am.” (John 8 v 58) This answer enraged the group and they tried to stone Him to death. The use of the words “I am” signified divinity. It was prophesied that when Jesus was born in Bethlehem Ephratah he would “be ruler of Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5 v 6). This eternal, everlasting aspect of God is confirmed in Colossians 1 v 16 -17: “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things are created by him, and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

In Exodus 3 v 14 a frightened Moses goes to God and asks who should he tell the children of Israel has sent him to them, God responds to Moses and says “I AM hath sent me unto you.” God repeats “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex 3 v14). The Hebrew word for “I am” is in an imperfect tense and it means I was, I am and I always will be. It signifies the eternity of God and the completeness of God. In the Greek words of the New Testament Jesus uses this same phrase and tense when He says “ego eime”: I am. Jesus states that He is the same and was the same before Abraham. The same God who led the children of Israel is the same God who died on Calvary. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day and for ever.”(Heb 13 v 8) In the final book of the Bible John the Revelator greets the churches with grace and peace “from him which is, and which was, and which is to come.” (Rev 1 v 4) It is this peace that we can all claim when we approach God because He is, He always has been, and He always will be.

When we question who we are as individuals in relation to our knowledge of who God is we know that we are loved, we are valued, we are precious. The search for identity is often a lifelong one, however, when we get an insight into who God is we are better able to see who we are.

Who am I? I am a beautiful person created by the love of God. I am because He made me.

With God we have consistency. With God we have surety. With God we have eternity. This eternity is not an existence for a limited amount of time it is the existence that God has: the timeless existence outside of time.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - Holy Spirit

“And I pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth... I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14 v 16 – 18

We have learned that there is one God. “Look unto me, and be ye saved ... for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isa 45 v 22) However, the image of a three-in-one Godhead is firmly fixed in the minds of people who learn about the Jesus Christ. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are all familiar names used to refer to the Trinity. How do these three figures relate to each other and are they equal parts of the Godhead? Who or what is this Holy Spirit, also known as the Holy Ghost? How can God be One and yet separate?

From the beginning of His ministry on earth Jesus worked with the Holy Ghost. When He was baptized “the Holy Ghost descended in bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” (Luke 3 v22; see also Matt 3 v 16 – 17; Mark 1 v 10 – 11; John 1 v 32 - 34) In Acts 10 v 38 it is recorded that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power... for God was with him.” Jesus was baptized with the Spirit and, in John 1 v 33 it is noted that the John the Baptist was told that when he baptized Jesus the Holy Spirit would ‘descend’ and ‘remain’ with Him.

The Holy Spirit is also referred to as another Comforter that we are told will “abide with you for ever.”(John 14 v 16; 16 v 7). This is a permanent and eternal relationship. The first Comforter is shown as being Jesus Himself who says “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14 v 18) So Jesus reveals Himself as the same as the Holy Ghost. Here the equal status of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit is confirmed. It is in this verse in John 14 v 18 that Christ assures us that we will not be left as orphans when He departed from the earth to ascend to heaven. Jesus promises that we were not destined to be permanently bereaved of our parent, our Father: the Holy Ghost is our Father and would be present when Jesus had ascended to heaven. We are told that God will always be with us and the presence of the Holy Ghost confirms this fact, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt 28 v20).

Clarifying a part of the role of this different manifestation of God, Jesus said “... the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost ... shall teach you all things.” (John 14 v 26) Jesus said that while He was on earth the Holy Spirit could not be us so it was important for Him to go away. Christ Jesus said that He would send the Comforter and that when He arrived He would “guide you into all truth.” (John 16 v 13) The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, is a gift to the world from Jesus “I will send him to you.” (John 16 v 8) This beautiful offering of God Himself came to mankind with distinctive characteristics. Jesus said that when the Comforter arrived He “will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgement.” (John 16 v 8) Jesus also said that the Holy Spirit will “tesify of me.” (John 15 v 26) The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to help each one of us to obtain our place in the kingdom of God (Rom 14 v 17 – 19). We can be filled with “all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Rom 15 v13) With the resources of a member at of the Godhead at our individual disposal we are destined to succeed.

The book of Acts has approximately half of the entire references to the Holy Spirit that appear in the whole Bible. In Acts 1 v 1- 2 it states that the Holy Ghost is to complete the work that Jesus started to do and teach on earth until “... the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost ...” spoke to the chosen apostles (Acts 1 v 2). Therefore it becomes evident that the Holy Spirit is equal with God the Father and God the Son as He continues to act and teach on earth. The book of Acts could be viewed as the beginning of the Biblical record of the Acts of the Holy Spirit on earth.

There were baptisms (Acts 8 v 12 - 13), speaking in tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2 v 1-18) bold speaking of the Word of God (Acts 4 v 31; Acts 6 v 3, 5), as well as numerous miracles and signs (Acts 8 v 6 – 10,13). The people who had received the Holy Spirit were known as men with “the great power of God” (Acts 8 v 10). In Galilee Jesus instructed his disciples to “teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt 28 v 19). This may sound like an impossible unachievable task but the Holy Spirit never gives ‘unnecessary burdens’, (Acts 15 v 28) but He has made us responsible to God for the people of the world; in Acts 20 v 28 we are told that the “Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

In order to obtain the promise of the kingdom of God we are charged to focus on “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” (Rom 14 v 17 – 18) We are never left to accomplish these works alone: the Holy Spirit is ever present and all powerful because He is God.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - God

“O taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalms 145 v 9

It would have been impossible to start this A-Z journey without some mention of God and Christ Jesus. It is my belief that no investigation of love would be complete without a glimpse into the being of God. Many people throughout the ages have said that there is no God. “A fool hath said in his heart there is no God.” (Ps 14 v 1; Ps 53 v 1) The previous studies have been a taster into my impression of God. “O taste and see that the Lord is good.” (Ps 34 v 8)

The question many people ask is ‘Who or what is God?’ “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4 v 8). In verse 16 of the same chapter we are reminded again that “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4 v 16) Even if a person has no concept of Christ or God it is likely that they will know about love. Just knowing about love is enough to start understanding and trusting God. This is the beginning of a new journey. It is always difficult to define love; the same can be said about defining or confining God to any limited human concept. We have to exercise faith and believe; we will not be disappointed.

Once we begin to know the one true God we are directed to love Him. “... there is one God; and there is none other but he. And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” (Mark 12 v 32-33). From this love to God comes love for ourselves and love for our neighbours. Christ Jesus said that this extension of love from God to ourselves and others is the basis of all the commandments. In Mark 12 v 29 – 31 Jesus confirms the true God and our instructions to firstly love God then to love our neighbours and ourselves equally well.

Many false gods have declared that they are God however God Himself has declared “Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isa 45 v 22) The substitute gods want to gain the loyalty and following of all people but these gods can never replace the real God because they have no power to save. They have no comparable abilities to be everything to humanity. The affections of men may sway between the real God and the gods that try vainly to replace Him but our all knowing God has said “Fear not, neither be afraid; have not I told you from that time, and declared it? Ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isa 44 v 8) There is nothing unknown to God.

God is love. God is also light. “God is light and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1 v 5) God is everything we need. He provides an eternal family for us because He is our Father and everyone who does His will is our mother, brother and sister (Mark 3 v 33 – 35). God cares for us without any regard to our affections towards Him. “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Ps 145 v 9)

A search for God reveals a caring God, a merciful God and a loving God. God can be found in all aspects of life. He is not limited to the Bible, church buildings, or especially elected religious leaders. God is available to each and every person. God values each and every person; he made us in his own image (Gen 1 v 26 ) and He has declared every creature He has created good (1 Tim 4 v 4). With God on our side we have no further fear of the future or what will happen to us because “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8 v 31)

Although God knows everything about us He still encourages us to talk to Him, in prayer, and to make all our requests known to Him while we also thank Him for all He has done for us. Nothing that we think of can be hidden from God but we are persuaded to approach God boldly. (Phil 4 v 6). God is always at hand to hear and answer our prayers because His love for us is constant and continual “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he will also hear their cry and save them.” (Ps 145 v 18 – 19)

God is ... exactly what we need today.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - Fear

“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” Psalms 1 v 11

Fear is not an emotion that most people look forward to or enjoy experiencing. This verse in Psalms chapter 1 tells us to serve the Lord with fear and at the same time to rejoice with trembling. It may seem like a contradiction to talk about fear and rejoicing at the same time. Therefore we need to fully understand the type of fear that the Bible refers to when it is related to serving God.

When we are happy and rejoicing we are in a positive state of mind and it is this condition that the psalmist is referring to when he notes that we should rejoice with trembling. Usually we think that we would only tremble and shake in an involuntary manner when we are affected by great fear or anxiety. This fear of the Lord is most likely to mean an emotional, and possibly physical, reaction brought on by the excitement and the joy of knowing more about Him.

When we approach God we need not be afraid; this is not the type of fear that is being referred to in this verse. The fear that is used in relation to God is instructing us to regard God with reverence and awe.

Awe is a feeling of reverential respect mixed with wonder or fear. We often experience this feeling when faced with unusual sights of nature like vast fields, mountains, lakes, volcanoes and icebergs. These examples of nature are evidence of the creative power of God and they are primary examples of why we approach Him with fear - reverence and wonder - and why we rejoice with trembling: because we are beginning to understand the magnificence of all He has made – especially us. We, as human beings, are wonderful examples of God’s creative genius.

When we begin to understand God’s unlimited brilliance then we can do nothing else but praise Him. Knowing the complicated structure and capacity of the human being makes us marvel at the creative powers of the One who made us.

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” (Ps 139 v 14.) As we learn more about God and about His love for us, and all that He provides for our care, we are drawn to serve and praise Him constantly.

The more we know, the more we want to know; we begin a deeper search for more knowledge about ourselves and about our Creator. In our search we are constantly amazed at the untapped resources that we have within each of us; catching just a glimpse of the possibilities of ourselves makes us realise the unlimited power of God. This is one reason why we fear and rejoice in unison. We then begin to grow in wisdom.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Ps 111 v 10.) This statement is repeated in Prov 9 v 10 where the second part of this verse says “and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” Therefore if we want to increase in wisdom we have to serve God and the first step in service is getting to know the One you serve. In order to have a good relationship with God, and we need to have reverence and awe when we come to Him and that respect for God needs to permeate all that we do and in all that we are in relation to all that He has done and all that He is. Prov 1 v 7 reiterates that the fear of the Lord is the source of knowledge “but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

The first chapter of Psalms warns us to remember the wise instructions and laws of our parents as we begin to serve God. Service is a personal act and each of us has a unique relationship with God. To get to this place of intimacy we have to conduct an individual search for which we are advised to look carefully and thoroughly as if we are seeking precious metals and hidden treasures (Prov 2 v 4) and we are promised that if we do this “Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.” (Prov 2 v 5.)

Personal Object Lessons - Easter

“He is risen …” Matthew 28 v 7

Easter is a time for celebration. Its history is directly related to the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. However, many people just look forward this holiday as a symbol that spring has arrived; a sign of new life.

Christ rose from the grave after His crucifixion and the grieving disciples who made their way to His tomb were greeted with the news of Christ’s victory over death with the utterance of three simple words that fulfilled a promise… “He is risen…” (Matt 28 v 7).

When Christ was on the cross at Calvary He similarly spoke three profound words… “It is finished.” (John 19 v 30). He had been raised high like a banner so that all could see and remember His selfless act of sacrifice. The crucifixion and death of Christ was the final link in the plan salvation. His death and resurrection provided a way. A way of hope and confidence that there is life beyond the grave; that there is life eternal with the Creator of all worlds. Christ Jesus led the way – from His sinless life on earth, to His return to heaven – the path to restoration with the Father was made plain (Luke 24 v 31). The earthly life, the painful death, and the return to life of Christ shows His undeniable love for humanity. The glory of God was magnified through the suffering of Christ (Luke 24 v 26). It was because humanity was under the sentence of eternal death that Christ Jesus bore the separation from the Father by taking on the sins of the world. With His life Christ paid the ransom price for everyone. His death unlocked the gates of eternity for us to enter in. Through nearly 2,000 years people throughout the world have been drawn to this act of pure love that promises life to all who believe on Him (John 3 v 16).

The actual resurrection of the Son of Man means that “it has begun”: these three words encompass the completion of the promise that results in the fulfilment of the plan of salvation. The time of new life had begun when Christ rose from the grave; the time of life eternal for all who believe had arrived. Christ died and finished the preparation work that He came to earth to complete. Then He rose from the grave to complete the last phase of humanity’s rescue plan.

Easter therefore is really a celebration of the beginning of the journey of humanity back to life eternal. A journey made possible by Christ Jesus. He made the way.

He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14 v 6)

Easter is a time to remember new life: life eternal.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - My A – Z … road maps for life

My A – Z … road maps for life

“I am the way…” John 14 v 6

We all need guidance and directions and the advice given is specific depending on where we want to go and what we want to do. The world is full of signposts and arrows pointing us every way. The experience of being lost can be terrifying but there is always hope in the knowledge that we are not the first people to walk without aim.

Jesus says, “I am the way…” (John 14 v 6). The way to what? I have to ask, is this the way I want to go? The answer to the direction is in the second part of the sentence… “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.” (John 14 v 6). Jesus is offering Himself as our true guide to the Father. He says “no man cometh … but by me”: without Him we will not make it to God; Jesus is our means of access to God. He is our road map. He is our complete surety of making it to the required destination. How do we know our journey will be successful with Jesus as a guide? Can we trust Him? He says, “I am the …truth” (John 14 v 6).
As children we learned to trust our guardians, our parents, our siblings because we quickly learned what was true and what was false. With truth came trust that we built on over the years. Unfortunately we all experienced some disappointment as we grew up but never from Jesus. Jesus has never reneged on His promises. God the Father and Jesus the Son made a way for us to be reunited for eternity (John 3 v 16 –17). “…whosoever believeth in him should …have everlasting life” (John 3 v16). The Greek word used in this verse for ‘believeth’ is Pistis – to trust, to have faith in.

When we are driving and get lost we stop at the roadside and ask directions, we believe the word of the passer by without any previous knowledge of them. We follow their directions in full expectation of arriving at our required destination. Jesus comes to us with an impeccable history and personal interest in each one of us reaching our destination: heaven (John 14 v 1-3). Jesus advises s not to worry but to follow His directions and we will never get lost.

“I am the way…” (John 14 v 6). The Greek dictionary describes the ‘way’ as a route by which we make progress on our journey. Jesus has made Himself our roadmap for life. A map to show the way from life in this world to life in eternity (John 14 v 2 –3). We have to make a choice to progress on our journey. Progress is best when it is in the right direction. We can choose to trust Jesus – because He has travelled the road before us or we can make our own roadmap. Each person makes their own choice on which road to travel and the destination is assured in all choices. Which way will you choose today?

©MHMorgan 2008