Show Me the Way

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7 ESV). Have you ever been through a “Fun House”? Usually you enter the door and either walk or ride through a maze of hallways. Around each corner there is some new ghost or goblin to scare you. There’s one at a theme park we have been to several times not far from Nashville. It’s not really very frightening and it is air-conditioned, so lots of the patrons will ride through multiple times on a hot summer day to get a little respite from the heat. You don’t need to worry about being lost along the way. The car carries you through on the prescribed route and delivers you safely at the end. I have often thought it was an interesting look into real life. We really never know which way to go into our future. And, often there lurks something scary around the corner. The great difference is that with the Fun House you know you will arrive safely at the end of the maze. Life becomes more difficult to believe that you will be safe at the end of it because of the unknown of the future. Jesus recognizes this truth and gives his disciples a clear picture of how we can overcome this fear. During World War II, an American pilot who was shot down over the jungles of Burma was able to safely eject from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense jungle, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. So the American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no path that he could see, and ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn't seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic. So he yelled out to the man, "Where is the way?" In broken English, the man told him, "I am the way. Follow me." That is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: "I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you are supposed to go." The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into these four words: "I am the way." Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There is only one way to find a life that is full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain you are going to heaven. Follow Him. He is the Way!