Monday, November 13, 2006
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
HEAVEN -- THE WAY THERE!
Easter vacation 1985. A cold April morning. My buddy and I are standing alongside I-94 somewhere near Jamestown, ND, with just ten days to hitchhike all the way to Seattle and back before school starts up again.
As we wait for the first ride of the day we try to keep warm by doing jumping jacks or running in place. But, much to our surprise, it isn't too long before a car pulls over. The occupant, a blurry-eyed man, tells us to hop in. As we settle in for what we hope will be a long haul, we ask our driver where he is going. "Minneapolis," he yawns, as he takes a sip from his McDonald's coffee cup. "Minneapolis!?" my buddy and I exclaim almost in unison.
Now, if you know your geography at all, Minneapolis is nowhere between North Dakota and Seattle. We're going west, but our driver thinks he's going east. Somewhat reluctantly we explain that he is going in the wrong direction. Not long after that we find ourselves once again on the side of the road with our thumbs out.
How many people are there in the world who don't really know where they're going? So many live in complete confusion about the hereafter and about what lies beyond the grave. Countless millions think they know the way to heaven's door, but, like our "wrong way driver", are headed entirely in the wrong direction.
There is only way to heaven! God has given us His Word, the flawless road-map to life eternal. It tells of a Savior, God's very own Son. It points to a lonely cross where God's Son gave Himself a ransom for all. It leads to an empty tomb where the same Son of God burst the shackles of death for you and me all people. In His Word the Savior Jesus calls out to a lost world: "I am the way, the truth, and the life!"
How blessed we are to have been shown the way to Heaven! How privileged we are to point the "wrong way people" of this world in the right direction -- toward Jesus, toward life, toward heaven!
