Daily Walking Close
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Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.” John 14:6
I enjoy walking in God’s creation. Spring and sunshine make the walks so much more enjoyable. Walking is great exercise, and it also helps to release the day and the thoughts. I recently preached a sermon – “Walking Each Other Home.” I will share some of those thoughts with you.
In the Gospel of John in chapter 14, Jesus tells us that he is going to a prepare a place for us and then he will come back to take us to be with him. Jesus promises to walk us home. The Gospel accounts share how Jesus walked throughout his ministry. He walked to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. Jesus walked into the desert where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. He walked by the lake and called Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow him and become his disciples. Jesus walked everywhere. He walked to the wedding at Cana in Galilee. He walked through Samaria for the purpose of talking to the woman at the well. Jesus walked on the water. He walked Lazarus out of the grave. He walked Bartimaeus out of the darkness by healing his blindness.
Jesus walked into the Upper Room and shared with his disciples that he would prepare a place and then come to walk them home. They did not understand what Jesus meant. Jesus said simply, “Trust in God and trust in me.”
Who do you trust? Who trusts you? Trust is having confidence in and a belief in the reliability and truth of the individual. It is a conviction that you believe the one you trust will be with you and be available when you are in need. Do you trust God? Not to just do what you want, but to trust His greater purpose and plan.
Isaiah 26:3 – “You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you because they trust you.”
Do you trust God even when you do not understand? Even when it does not make sense to you? It is praying – “God, I don’t understand why this happened, but I still trust You.” One of the hardest prayers to pray is when a loved one dies and you had prayed for healing but it came in the perfect healing of death not physical healing. It was not the answer you wanted. So, can you pray – “God, I don’t like this, but I still trust you.”
Jesus tells us that he is going to walk with us through the struggles of life and prepare a place for us in Heaven. He will come and take us there. Jesus gives us some facts about Heaven. It has lots of rooms, that is, plenty of space for all believers and the rooms are permanent and secure. There is a place for us.
Audio Adrenaline has a song “Big House” – “Come and go with me to my Father’s house. It’s a big, big house with lots and lots of room. A big, big table with lots and lots of food. A big, big yard where we can play football. A big, big house, it’s my father’s house. Come and go with me to my Father’s house.”
God’s house is big and there is a room for you. Jesus promises a home and that he will come back and walk us home. Thomas asks the question that you and I would ask, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. So how can we know the way?”
Have you ever gotten lost? Took the wrong turn and had no clue where you were? When someone tells you to meet them somewhere but you have no idea where it is or how to get there. If you have an address, you usually put it in your GPS, but even GPS can get you lost. You need a specific address, location, and how to get there from someone who knows the way.
Jesus gives us the directions – “I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.”
The Way is through the cross. Jesus walks the road to the cross to die for us. It is through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross that we are forgiven of our sin. The only way is through receiving Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We admit we are sinners in need of grace, confess our sin, and ask for forgiveness and receive His grace.
Jesus is our roadmap. I learned to read a roadmap when I was very young probably around six or seven years old. My dad always needed someone to go with him, and being the youngest I was always volunteered to go with him. My dad could not drive and read road signs at the same time. He would tell me where we were going. I would find it on the map, and I would give him directions.
We all need help getting to Heaven. We cannot do it on our own. We cannot earn it. We are never good enough, do enough nor find our own way. Jesus shows us the way through his sacrifice. He fulfills the truth of the prophecies and is the Word that speaks truth. Jesus is the life. Jesus calls us to live life fully and abundantly. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
When we allow Jesus to be the center of our life, life becomes full with purpose and meaning. We do not need to live in the sin and shame and hurt of the past. We need to live in the forgiveness and grace of God. This brings joy and freedom. Life in Jesus is filled with joy and peace and hope. It does not mean life will be perfect because we live in a broken and fallen world. But life in Jesus means we focus on the freedom Jesus gives us and not to let the worries and burdens of the world steal our peace.
It is releasing control and surrendering to Jesus. Jesus walks with us through the dailyness of our lives, and Jesus will walk with us into Heaven when it is our time. Jesus calls us to walk with others on the road. Slow down and listen. Be present. Share Jesus with people who are hurting and cannot feel the presence of Jesus. Walk closer to Jesus as you journey down the road of life. Keep your focus on Jesus. Remember, Jesus gives us directions – “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Daily walk close to Jesus.
“Just a closer walk with Thee. Grant it Jesus, is my plea. Daily walking close to Thee. Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”
