THE RIGHT WAY
In stop and go traffic, I started wondering where all these people are going. What type of lives do they live? Are they children of God or follow their own “religions” of the world? Are they facing a loved one’s death? With all the mass shootings of late, I even wondered if there is someone in all these cars, who has deadly actions in their minds? What way will they take at the next exit? What way are they all going? Have you ever thought those things?
Sometimes, on my way somewhere or on my way home, I just go thru the actions and don’t even think about what road or way to take. It just comes naturally.
Years ago, I planned a lady’s event, called “The Roadmap to Heaven.” I based the day on the verse in John 14:6. In this scripture, Jesus is talking to the disciples telling them He is going away to prepare a place for them. Thomas tells Him they do not know where He is going and how would they know the way. “Jesus said to them, I am the way, the truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jesus was the way to the Father through His death and resurrection. As truth, He is the revelation of God. As life, He is the communication of God to us, leading us to heaven. Jesus and His teachings are our “roadmap” leading us to heaven.
Sometimes in this life, we take detours. We follow signs that lead us the wrong way. We see where this detour leads, looks fun. Proverbs 4:18-19 says “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is like darkness. They do not know what makes them stumble.” One road is a path of light, the other of darkness. One leads to promise and the other to a stumbling destruction. We can get into darkness before we know it. I get lost so easily, so I understand this concept. We, as mankind, can get lost from the true and only way, our Lord and Savior. We might take the easiest way, thinking it is the best way to go. But we need to follow the roadmap, (or today our GPS) taking the right turns and not relying on our own directions. Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.” Trusting in God, is a conscience dependence on God to help us navigate through the twists and turns of this life. God’s way is safe and leads us on the right path. If we do not follow the right signs, we can get lost. Proverbs 14:12 reads “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” We might make one choice to make a detour, and end up getting lost in the dark.
Acts 9:2 calls the believers in Jesus, the Way. In this scripture, Saul was “…breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord…” He was on the wrong path until he went on the path to Damascus and Jesus talked to him thru “…a light that shone…” Then, Saul, who had been in the darkness, came into God’s marvelous light and spent the rest of his days, working for the Lord. The road was not easy. It was full of “potholes.” But he stayed on the road of light and not darkness.
Jeremiah 10:23 says “O, Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” We have to follow the directions, the way. We cannot depend on ourselves but rather on the promises God has given us if we follow Him and do not take a destructive path.
Isaiah 55:8-9 reads “For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts,” God only wants the best for us. He loves us no matter what path we might take. But if we follow His way, the only way, we have the promise of a home in heaven with Him one day.
If we swerve off the path, we can have dire consequences in the darkness. But if we get back on the right one, we have hope through His light. I love the fact that followers of Jesus in bible times were called “the Way.” They did, and we need to keep following the path that is illuminated by our God. If and when, we do swerve off the right way, we need to get back on the right pathway.
I need to be sure I am on that right path. Matthew 7:13-14, tells us that the roadway into destruction is wide. But the way, that leads to life, is a narrow gate. It is easier to follow the crowd. This verse says “…difficult is the way which leads to life…” Our life here on this earth is not easy. It is hard. But God promises us, if we are faithful and stay on that strait path, we will be able to go to heaven; a place of light, of praising our God, of no pain, no hard choices, nothing of this world will be there.
I will never know where all those people were going, in that traffic that day. But I have control of the choices of which road to take, to be sure I am on that right path. Make sure that others look to you to show them the right way!
Till next time!
Keela