Where Are You Going?
What feelings do you experience when you find you might be lost? Some are quite fearful of not knowing where they are; they carry maps and keep a GPS on board so they won’t lose their way. Others are comfortable asking directions, so they don’t worry too much about losing their way. And others seem to enjoy the challenge when they get lost, it gives them a kind of adrenalin rush when they have to figure their way out of such difficulties.
Your destination is foundationally important to every journey. If you are going to set out on a trip, you need to know where you are going. Yet, many people don’t seem to have a clear sense of where they want to go in life. They may work hard and hope opportunities open up, but they don’t have a sense of direction to help them make decisions along the way. It’s not important how fast you are going or what kind of time you are making if you are going in the wrong direction.
Jesus described Himself as the directions of life; He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) However, His directions are most meaningful in light of His described destination – “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Knowing the Father and entering His eternal house (14:2) are the purpose and destination for which Jesus lived, worked, died and was resurrected.
If your purpose and destination in life are to know, enjoy and live with the Father forever, you will look for the appropriate directions to take you there. The Word of God serves as the map; the life of Jesus serves as the model; and the ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life will help you understand where you are, where you need to go, and give you power to get there. This may sound like an oversimplification, but it is foundational to the Christian spiritual journey.
Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of the Father. He has arrived physically, emotionally and spiritually at the destination. His humble, obedient submission to the will of the Father was the counterintuitive trajectory to His exaltation. (Philippians 2:5-12) And, He will lead us along the same kind of path. If you want to grow in your eternal relationship with the Father, you must be willing to follow the way, the truth and the life of Jesus. Your journey will be marked by His journey – humility and suffering will be part of your experience.
Do you know where you are going? Do you want communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? Are you willing to follow His directions? This might be a good time to firmly declare your direction and intent in God, and ask for His direction and help.
On the Way with you,
Pastor Tom
tgriffith@rolcboston.org
