Jesus is the way and leads the way

 

I’ve a calendar that is more like a journal. It asks questions that prompt plans, reflection, and priorities. It is also secular. One page asks about what didn’t work last month and how I could do better. In answering, my focus is on the leadership of Jesus. He has a plan for my life and it is in listening to Him and doing what He says. I don’t like the idea of trying to improve my failures because figuring things out by myself causes most of them in the first place.

Today’s devotional puts a focus on the plan of God, not on a to-do list for each day but His goal for me and how He accomplishes that goal.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, (Hebrews 5:8–9)

Basic to daily direction is this main objective: He is taking me to glory — to be like Jesus for all eternity — and He will do it through the life, death, and resurrection life of Jesus Christ, summed up in these words “the founder of my salvation who was perfected through suffering.” It was by His death that Jesus became my perfect leader. He leads the way because He is the way:

Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

While it makes no sense to those who reject Him, Calvary was God’s great wisdom. It displays His holiness and hatred of sin, but also His power. As MacArthur writes, Christ endured in a few hours what it would take an eternity to expend on sinners and even then, we could not atone for our own sin. His suffering also displayed God’s love for mankind and points to His great grace in that the death of Jesus was substitutionary; He died for me so I can live forever.

The Greek word translated “founder” or “author” in some translations is archēgos. It means “pioneer” or “leader” and used of someone who blazed a trail for others to follow. This person did not stand behind giving orders but was always out front leading the way. In that sense, Jesus is the One who goes before me as my trailblazer. When I write my plans on my calendar, I’m trying always to listen to Him for direction.

The older I get (and the more my body yells at me) the more I agree with MacArthur’s statement that life seems most anxious and fearful when death seems closer. As he says, this is a trail I cannot travel by myself. I worshiped this morning singing several songs. Three of them had words about dying and going to glory. This devotional reminds me of what Jesus said to His disciples:

Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19)

He is the perfect trailblazer and can lead me and all His people out of life here, through the shadow of death, and into the presence of the Father. As He holds my hand, He will lead me to the other side and I will know the reality of these NT words: “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55)

Our family is busy making plans for the coming year including a major reunion, a smaller one with just our adult children, trips and other events. My hubby is working (part-time from home) on projects that could run until 2029. Some days, I feel my age and want to curl up and be done. Other days, I’m ambitious, but not too energetic. In all of this, the sense of being led by Jesus is an incredible comfort and encouragement.

PRAY: Lord Jesus, You are the Master of my fate and trusting You makes the fears go away and anticipation take over. At the same time, my hubby’s words about “someday God will say I am done” are often on my mind. As You take me through this life and toward the next, grant me the same peace and joy as You always have. I see You blazing the trail, opening doors, granting abilities and strength. My heart is entirely grateful and always amazed that You love me so much.

PONDER: The world is filled with people who have no confidence in their future nor any idea that they can have eternal life with their Creator. Think about ways to share that with those He puts in my path.

 

 

Jesus and life everlasting

 

2 Chronicles 14–15; Haggai 2; John 3; Revelation 4

My scattered mind gave me mental hiccups reading through these passages. The truths that touched me were all through them, so many blessings that focusing became a series rather than a spotlight.

2 Chronicles pointed to the peace that God gave His people because their leader, Asa, was a good man who followed the Lord and put away all idols. He ruled many years without war because he trusted God.

Haggai is a promise of coming glory to a people who have been disobedient. He speaks of God’s temple and says, “The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:9) Was this about a building? Or was this about the church who would become the temple of the Lord? Even if not, it made me yearn for God to glorify His people that we might glorify Him, and thankful that this is even possible!

John 3 is about Jesus as Savior and the need of people to receive new life from Him that we might enter His kingdom or even realize it exists. Sin blinds our eyes and puts us all on the “perish” list of condemnation, but Jesus declares the good news:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.” (John 3:16–21)

These words are so familiar yet never lose their impact. Because of Jesus and God-given faith in Him, I will live forever. I am not condemned. Even though darkness continually tries to pull me back into itself, Jesus has rescued me, given me a hatred for sin and a love for Him.

I also know, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (verse 18) and that:

He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (John 3:31–36)

These words never fail to bring great joy and assurance to my heart, as do the words of the twenty-four elders around the throne of God in John’s vision of heaven:

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

I thought that these readings were scattered (like my brain) but there is a focus: Jesus. He is the One to whom Asa obeyed and Haggai pointed toward. He is that Savior, the Living Message from God the Father to make obedience possible and do for us what we could not do on our own. Our nemesis ‘sin’ is defeated! Jesus came to make God’s glory visible and to seek and save those who are in darkness and separated from Him by sin. Jesus is the Creator, not only of the world but of new life for those who trust Him.

APPLY: Today, eyes front and center on the One to whom I love and owe my life, to Jesus the Savior of the world who so many years ago graciously gave this sinner new life. Jesus, I love You and bless Your Holy Name.

LATER: Received shattering news. One of my sister’s grandsons was in a snowboarding accident and is in ICU fighting for his life. His family hopes for a miracle and if not, that Jesus would take Him home. He is a strong Christian who loves Jesus. Please pray for Kyle and family.