Finding the Way

Hello, Thomas! Are you listening? John has put the directions in His gospel for us.

Jesus is the bread on which we feed, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35). His way is a life of faith and obedience. You remember the manna in the wilderness? The manna came every morning except Sabbath and the people had to exercise daily faith that the manna would be there next morning for them. And on the sixth day they had to take enough for two days’ food because the manna wouldn’t come on the Sabbath. It was a life of having enough for each day, and not taking more than you need for one day. You can’t store up manna – it goes bad. And you have to trust every day for God’s daily provision of your needs.

Jesus is the source of living water. He says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow out from within him” (John 7:37). How do we get that vital fresh, clear, drinkable water?

Without water we die. This spiritual water is Holy Spirit, our source of eternal life which springs up with a cascading, rushing, vitalising life of its own within us. It’s abundant life, a life of Holy Spirit energy and power. And we know we are God’s kids and part of His family. It’s a life with joy and energy and trusting our heavenly Father.
There is a third thing which forms part of this way to the Father: living in forgiveness.

God taught His people that to know forgiveness there has to be a life sacrificed. We live spiritually and can know forgiveness of our sins because Jesus has died instead of us. We can know our Father. Jesus died for us. It’s as though we now have a blood transfusion. We live in forgiveness with our Heavenly Father. It’s a new life. It’s a life in which we can forgive others, in which we also receive forgiveness from our Heavenly Father. And it’s also a life of sacrificially forgiving and loving others.
And these things are all a part of Jesus’ answer to Thomas. “Yes, I have shown you the way to the Father. I am the Way”.

Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, that You have shown us the way to Your Father. Thank You that we can know the Father’s forgiveness. We can trust You every step of the way and know Your life in us, giving us abundant life overflowing to others. Amen.