One path
I am the path, the truth, and the energy of life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you know Me, you know the Father. Rest assured now; you know Him and have seen Him. (John 14:6-7)
Pathways don't just 'become pathways' out of the blue. The first set of footprints across that path leaves small impressions where your foot came to rest with each step. The more the same steps are followed - either by your own movement or that of others - the more a "path" begins to be worn. The original footprints are still there, but they are underneath all the others which have passed over the same spot. This a path - the route which has become the place of movement and passage. I want us to begin to think of what Christ did on our behalf as he took the first steps into an eternity of grace on our behalf. Eternity's "grace" path began with one set of footprints, and down through the ages, by others following in those footprints, eternity's "grace" pathway has been followed over and over again.
Lots of us choose to follow no other set of footprints, no matter how well the path has been marked out through the ages, wanting instead to blaze a trail ourselves. The excitement of being the first to go where others have not gone is something that excites us and energizes us in ways which are kind of hard for us to understand. It is this tendency to want to do things our way - being the one who leads the path of our own destiny - which will end in us missing out on the pathway of grace. It could not be clearer - Jesus is the path - he is the one who walked that "grace" path - establishing not only the pathway we are to follow, but the means by which we can actually take those steps. All other paths we could travel in our own deliberate "trail-blazing" activities in life are simply not going to take us to the same destination. There is but one pathway to the destination of an eternity of grace.
A pathway is actually a very narrow walkway. It isn't blazed with a bulldozer, but with one set of footprints. In the case of eternity, Christ's footprints lead right into the throne room of God himself. Jesus said there are three things we need to recognize about this path 1) There is but one path. He is that path. No other means exists to ensure eternity is lived out in grace. There is but one trail which leads to an eternity of grace and that is the path created by Christ alone. 2) Those who travel this path don't live by speculation or guess about which turn to take - for the path is one which is true and the markers along the path are all found in the truth of his words. Truth keeps us from having to speculate about how to live, or which way to follow when decisions present themselves. Christ is the truth - he marks the trail with clarity and light. 3) The path isn't followed in our own strength, but by the energy of life which emanates from Christ himself.
We can be the ones to blaze the trail to somewhere in our lives, but trust me on this, that path will not be the one to an eternity of grace. Grace has but one path, narrow, but already navigated. We simply place one foot in front of the other, stepping INTO what Christ has already done on our behalf, then walk on into the place prepared for each of us in the very presence of the eternal God himself. One path - one truth - one energizing force. The way could not be clearer. Just sayin!
Pathways don't just 'become pathways' out of the blue. The first set of footprints across that path leaves small impressions where your foot came to rest with each step. The more the same steps are followed - either by your own movement or that of others - the more a "path" begins to be worn. The original footprints are still there, but they are underneath all the others which have passed over the same spot. This a path - the route which has become the place of movement and passage. I want us to begin to think of what Christ did on our behalf as he took the first steps into an eternity of grace on our behalf. Eternity's "grace" path began with one set of footprints, and down through the ages, by others following in those footprints, eternity's "grace" pathway has been followed over and over again.
Lots of us choose to follow no other set of footprints, no matter how well the path has been marked out through the ages, wanting instead to blaze a trail ourselves. The excitement of being the first to go where others have not gone is something that excites us and energizes us in ways which are kind of hard for us to understand. It is this tendency to want to do things our way - being the one who leads the path of our own destiny - which will end in us missing out on the pathway of grace. It could not be clearer - Jesus is the path - he is the one who walked that "grace" path - establishing not only the pathway we are to follow, but the means by which we can actually take those steps. All other paths we could travel in our own deliberate "trail-blazing" activities in life are simply not going to take us to the same destination. There is but one pathway to the destination of an eternity of grace.
A pathway is actually a very narrow walkway. It isn't blazed with a bulldozer, but with one set of footprints. In the case of eternity, Christ's footprints lead right into the throne room of God himself. Jesus said there are three things we need to recognize about this path 1) There is but one path. He is that path. No other means exists to ensure eternity is lived out in grace. There is but one trail which leads to an eternity of grace and that is the path created by Christ alone. 2) Those who travel this path don't live by speculation or guess about which turn to take - for the path is one which is true and the markers along the path are all found in the truth of his words. Truth keeps us from having to speculate about how to live, or which way to follow when decisions present themselves. Christ is the truth - he marks the trail with clarity and light. 3) The path isn't followed in our own strength, but by the energy of life which emanates from Christ himself.
We can be the ones to blaze the trail to somewhere in our lives, but trust me on this, that path will not be the one to an eternity of grace. Grace has but one path, narrow, but already navigated. We simply place one foot in front of the other, stepping INTO what Christ has already done on our behalf, then walk on into the place prepared for each of us in the very presence of the eternal God himself. One path - one truth - one energizing force. The way could not be clearer. Just sayin!
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