To Show Me the Way

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4).

Jesus came to earth to show us the way of life. Think of the way that he interacted with people in great compassion. Think of how he lived a meager life here for eternal glory in times to come. Think of how he performed healing miracles—giving us way to know that he is God of very God. Think of how he was humble and lowly with those who were burdened and had questions. Think of the way that he brought comfort and peace to those who were grieving. Think of how he submitted to the will of the Father—even when it cost him everything—showing us that we must also die to ourselves. Think of how Jesus prayed and prayed and prayed—staying connected to the Father all of his life.

Jesus did these things and so much more. His way of life, then, illumines our path. When we wonder how to act and be, we can go to the life of Jesus to find ourselves impressed with the beauty of his version of humanity. His way was hope and life and peace. His way was everything we need to know about what beauty in the form of frailty looks like. He took our body upon himself—the flesh of all mankind. And, he became obedient and resilient in all of his ways.

He was born of woman that we might be born again in him—unto a new way of life that is characterized by serving and humble steps with our God. Jesus lights the way for us. He is the Word, who lived and breathed and showed us how to truly live. May we emulate Jesus Christ in his marvelously humble life. If God can be that humble, surely we creatures can humble ourselves unto his way.  

Dear Jesus, thank you that your life provided light for my path and footing for my steps. You are beautiful. The way that you lived your life here is stunning in majesty. For you set aside your heaven to come to earth for us. And, that is more that my mind can lay hold to understanding. But, I thank you for it. I love you for it. I need it. It’s gloriously kind. I pray that your patterns of life would become my patterns of life. Let me be more like you, my Light and Life. Thank you for coming to show me the way. Amen.

He Is Our Life

Jesus is life. He is the eternal Word from whom our life comes. And, he powerfully holds the world together with the workings of his being. He is our eternal resting place, he is our security, and he is our life. There is a certain amount of awe we can have on this earth as it relates to Jesus being our life. That is, we can take a moment to reflect, to really think about what it means that God sustains life.

Jesus is our means of being. He is our mode of operation. He is the reason we breathe, the life that we have, and our point of survival. Jesus is more than water, more than air, more than food, more than covering and protection—he supports the very life force that drives through each one of us. Jesus is the hope of our souls because he is the life of our souls.

He alone can disposition each soul for eternity. He is also Judge, giving to us our eternal life by determining that his sacrifice is sufficient for our eternal life. We will never meet a Judge more merciful that our Lord Jesus whose every pronouncement for the saved will be: life! life! life!

There is no more perfect hope than the hope of Jesus because there is no more perfect source of life. He is where we go to drink from the eternal fountain. He is the one who allows us to drink fully and without cost. There is hope through the gospel because Jesus is the good news. He is the source of living and the source of sacrifice. He is the source of our help and hope because of who he is as the Life.

When we come to Jesus to drink of his life, we are tired, weary, and worn. We are ready to be done with the paths of the world that feed self to the end of feeding self. We want to live for a purpose beyond ourselves—for a worthy reason. Jesus is our reason. He is life because he is the source of living. And, he is also our life because he is the purpose for living.

When our lives slow for a period of time, and we truly contemplate the meaning of life, we can only determine that there must be a reason for all that we experience. Jesus is that reason. His honor and glory are the reason we go through times of stretching and molding. We are being made to better reflect him. When we endure life for his sake, we are pleasing him and honoring his will for our lives. And truly, for all eternity we will exist for the praise of his glory.

Everything that we receive from him in our lives eternal—those eternal blessings at his right hand—we receive so that we can bless his heart. He loves to give, and he is blessed when we receive. We honor him when we receive the fullness of his life. In eternity, we will receive from his fount always. And so, on this earth, we can receive from his fount—help for the day and hope for all of our tomorrows.

Jesus is the light of our paths while we are on this earth—and that is how he provides us meaningful times while on this planet. He knows what is best for us and uses his word to be a light unto our paths. The unfolding of the word of Jesus gives light—and that light provides the course for our lives. The Word of God will never steer us away from the life that is in Jesus, but always bring us nearer to our source and purpose.

When we see Jesus in glory, we will see the fount and reason for the lives that we have lived on earth—we will see the reason for our hope and steps forward here on earth. And, when we are in those times when we feel stuck on this earth—when getting out of bed in the morning is more challenging that we would like to admit—let us turn our eyes to our life. If he has given us another day, then there is more for us to be and do. There is more that he is making us into, and there are more ways to be help and hope for those around us.

Jesus is blessing us collectively through our lives here—for, we come to him together as the bride of Christ to gain our light for life. We are drawn together as Jesus is our reason because we praise him together for being our true point of hope. He is the light for us individually and collectively as we join together to speak forth the reason for our forward motion. His life unifies our hearts. And, his life leads us forward step by step each day.

I Sprang from You

“All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made,” (John 1:3).

It is a refreshing truth—to dwell upon our beginnings, to remember the fount from which we sprang. It is a refreshing truth to believe and know that one has a Creator who oversees the days of life. It is a blessed reality to think that the creation had an origin in a Person—and that Person is still overseeing everything that was made, to give it life and being in the great common grace of our Lord. These are very blessed truths. 

And, I am struck today by the reality that Jesus made all things, and upholds them through the Word of his power. I am struck because this truth makes me feel extraordinarily connected to him. The fiber of my being, the essence of my person, the shape of my spirit and soul, and synapses of my brain all find their origin in the Lord. I am bound to a Person for my state and existence. I thank God that when mankind fell from Eden, we never became out of the reach of the God who created us. He did not stop sustaining life.

God does well with those he created. He does well with his creation. He brings it to a fitting end and purpose. All things will be set right again—this will happen in accordance with his character. The God who set things up will set things right. And, praise God that I will be found in Christ on that holy day. Praise God.

Dear Jesus, thank you that I am so connected to you, the Person. It is not mere life that courses through me—it is you, the Life. I am so thankful that you sustain my existence, and so thankful that you created me. I praise you that I can know my Creator—you are not distant but present. You did not abandon your creation but chose to set it right again. I thank you for the connection eternally that I have to you. I sprang from you. I was given life in you. I am not autonomous, but utterly dependent. And, that is a truth that fills my soul with purpose. If you give life again this day, it is because you are the Life sustaining all things. Thank you for your strong arm of salvation to give life eternal. You do not undo me because of my sin; you rescue your creation. Thank you for providing a path of rescue for anyone who might believe in you. Amen.