WATCHWORD:
Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it! I will bring great disaster upon all these people; but I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the Lord, have spoken! Jeremiah 45:5
28 And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:28-33
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
Meditation:
The Life…
We have considered “The Way” and “The Truth” in the previous two Watchwords, now it is time for a perspective on The Life. What does it mean to be given your life as a reward, as promised in the Jeremiah prophecy? Is that an easy question? I think it is for those who have surrendered their life to Jesus and feel the power of His peace.
However, we do tend to worry about silly things, such as food, clothing, drink and that other “most important” factor, what other people think about us. These are the things that take us away from the blessings of our Lord. We whine, we are impatient, we display lack of trust in God, all because we do not see the graces that abound in our lives, and rejoice in them.
Have you ever considered that salvation is more about the life you are living now, than about life eternal? If you consider the full breadth of Jesus’ ministry we would find evidence everywhere of the Second Great Commandment – Loving others as He has loved us. The Life of Christ is not chronological, it is not parables, healings, miracles, it is not a history lesson. While it is all these things, it is none of those things by themselves. The Life of Christ in us is a walk in His sandals, it is our efforts to imitate His mind, and it is a display of His Spirit in the daily events and things that cross our life-path.
There is a part of me that says that we need to view this passage of John 14:6 as one lesson from Jesus, rather than three separate parts, each defined by itself. “I am the way, the truth and the life” is a singular powerful statement. Note that it is another of those “I Am” declarations of Jesus, Son of God. This not only defines Him, but it points of in the direction of the Father.
If asked to describe yourself, what words would you use? Would you use the word “Christian”? Is it a starting point of your self-identity? Or, is it an add-on, like, “Oh, and I’m a Christian”? I wonder if the word has become so politicized to the point where it seems separated from Christ. Is ‘Christian’ a religion or the walk of a lifetime?
I go back to George Burns, playing the role of God in the movie, Oh, God, observing that “Religion is easy, faith, now, that is hard.” If being a Christian is not pure faith, the hard work of the soul, than it’s nothing. Maybe it’s time to return to the collective meaning of “The Way, The Truth and The Life”. Summed up in, thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
A little girl finally got to attend a wedding for the first time. While in the church, the girl asked her mother: “Why is the bride dressed in white?” The mother replied to the girl: “because white is the color of happiness and it’s the happiest day of her life today.” After a little bit, the girl looks up at her mother and says: “But, then why is the groom wearing black?”
Closing Prayer:
Lord, thank you that you are the way, the truth, and the life. Not only do you light the path before me, but you are the path. Help me to follow you wherever you go, and lead me to the eternal destination you are preparing for me, where I will be with you forever. In your name, Amen.
