“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.'”
–John 14:6 (NLT)
The gentleman had left home with plenty of time to spare, so why did he need directions? No one had told him the day or the hour of the meeting, but they had told him where it was to be held. So, having some clues as to its location, he had started out.
Soon, however, he encountered a problem. The rental car that waited for him at the airport wasn’t equipped with GPS.
“Of all the stupid odds!” he thought, sighing in frustration. He took some deep breaths, and a few minutes later he felt more relaxed.
“I guess that’s okay,” he told himself. “Even if I don’t know anything about this city, I’ll get to this meeting on my own. After all, aren’t all cities basically alike? I’ve got time. I’ll sit down, have some breakfast, and then figure out the best route.”
After breakfast, the man worked on finding his directions. Once he thought he had them all figured out, he paid his bill and left the restaurant.
After following his route for a while, though, things started to look familiar–maybe a little too familiar. He soon found that he was going around in circles. Thinking that it must only be a small glitch, the man decided to flag down a pedestrian.
“It’s good that you called me over,” the man said gravely. “You’re going in the opposite direction.”
The lost driver chided himself, because he had only listened with one ear open. But once he seemed to be out of danger, he breathed a sigh of relief, and the chiding stopped.
Having what he thought was a brilliant idea, the driver followed another road which promised to be a shortcut. Soon he was lost again, but this time he didn’t know it. He went on his way, chuckling and not even bothering to look at the time.
When he finally did glance at his rather ancient phone, however, he was horrified. “Surely the meeting has started without me! All the signs are in place.”
But then a voice whispered in his ear, “You don’t really believe that, do you? It’s just coincidence. Everything is fine. They couldn’t possibly start without you.”
“I guess that’s right,” the man thought, settling back in his seat.
“Yes,” said the voice. “Your destination is just around the corner.”
Moments later, the man let out his breath and said confidently, “I’ve finally arrived!” But the parking lot was empty. He scratched his head in disbelief.
Sure enough, the security guard told him, “There was a meeting here this morning. The people there described your car and told me to be on the look-out, but it got late and they finally had to start without you.”
“So … they’re all gone?” the disappointed driver asked.
The guard shook his head. “I’m afraid so. They said they were going to a better country.”

Jesus has given us clear directions to that better country, and those who follow Him will meet with Him in the air one day. He said that He was the way, the truth and the life. He also said that no one comes to the Father but through Him. Some people want to follow Jesus, and they are truly seeking, but they don’t understand this statement.
It all hinges on Christ’s identity. Just as He did in the Gospels, Jesus is still asking people, “Who do men say that I am?”
If Jesus was just an ordinary man who walked the earth, this might present a problem, but He wasn’t. Scripture tells us that God’s Son emptied Himself, becoming a lowly peasant. As if that were not enough, He took on the form of a servant for you and me.
Before doing this, it says that He preexisted with God the Father before the world began. So let’s consider the main problem people have with Jesus being the only way to God the Father, in this light.
Many speak of remote parts of the world which the gospel has not yet reached. People in these areas might say something like this: “How could a God of love be so restrictive, and exclude so many people?”
In answer to this question, we need to look at what the Bible says. In one place it states, “God is not willing that any should perish.” In another place, it tells us that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So, there is no question that God’s love is open to all. Furthermore, God says in His Word that nature witnesses to His glory. In this way, He shows man that there is someone beyond him, and that the universe isn’t empty.
Lastly, the Bible says that God has planted eternity in the human heart. Our craving for more and more is really a craving for God. he is the only one who can truly satisfy the deep longing in our human hearts.
I have heard of a loving God reaching out to people through dreams, or other such things. In other cases, He has guided people to someone in a nearby village who had a Bible.
Some people still scoff at this, however, and say something like this. “You crazy Christians are too dogmatic! How could there be only one way to God? I think all religions are the same.”
Unlike the man in our story, these people have easy access to the GPS of God’s Word, but they go on their merry way, chuckling and not knowing that they are lost.
Ask yourself today whether you are earnestly seeking God, or playing with fire. If you don’t yet know Christ, I pray that you will get to know Him through His Word and ask Him to enter your heart, before He calls His heavenly meeting to order and starts without you.
Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 101 S Kraemer BLVD, Suite 123A, Placentia, CA 92870.
Finally, you’re always welcome to join our Tuesday night Bible study. These studies are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 5:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 712-432-6498. When prompted, press 1 for live chat rooms, and we’ll be waiting in room 31. You can press pound to bypass our friend Sharon’s intro message once you’ve entered room 31. We hope to talk with you soon!
If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.