Believe in The Way, Jesus

The trip to Alaska was remarkable, but all good trips end. So, way before we wanted to it was time to exit the cruise ship and fly back home.

As we were waking up to prepare for departure an important announcement was made. Departure would be delayed three hours because there had been a serious accident on the road leading to Anchorage and the road was blocked.

Okay, I thought we could settle down and take it easy. Nothing to worry about, we had a late flight. But what about the bus that was scheduled to take us to Anchorage? We called, and they were going to be delayed, also. All was fine except we were told that we had to vacate our stateroom. The staff needed time to prepare the rooms for the next guests to arrive.

This was not my plan, but I understood. There was food, coffee and tables to sit around on the ship, so we decided to play cards. If you are with our grandson, Collier, games will be played.

I just couldn’t quite understand why traffic would be completely stopped on both sides of the road. Wasn’t there an alternative route to Anchorage?

I was blown away with the answer. It seems that there is only one tunnel that leads from Whittier to Anchorage, and it is a one-way tunnel. One hour the traffic travels from Whittier to Anchorage and the next hour the traffic travels the other way. And that is not all. The train also travels through the tunnel. Crazy, right!

When we finally got off the boat and onto the bus to take us to Anchorage, we were traveling through the tunnel straddling train tracks. This is the only way through. Now this is hard to imagine in this day and time that they would have a tunnel with these restrictions.

You know I said that this was pretty mind-boggling, and it is. But for so many people the idea that God offers only one way to reach heaven is also mind-boggling. The Bible is clear; there is only one way. Jesus puts it this way:

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

Jesus is the one-way tunnel. There is no other way to reach heaven. There is no other way we are made righteous. There is no other way to be redeemed and restored. He is our doorway to salvation.

“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be save. He will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9).

This sounds so restrictive and so unfair, but our God knows that only the pure life of Jesus could purify the sin of this world. Only Jesus’ perfect life could defeat the power of death. Jesus, our good Shepherd is our perfect sacrificial lamb.

Adam the first man was perfect, but when he disobeyed God, sin entered the world and humanity. We were all born with a sinful nature. We sin because it is our nature. But Jesus was born fully man, but without a sin nature. He became a baby by the power of the Holy Spirit. You could say He was the second Adam, (1Corinthians 15:45-49), but Jesus obeyed perfectly so He could give His life for us and defeat the power and penalty of sin.

Jesus tells us that He has gone to prepare a place for us who believe and that He will come again to take us home. John 14:1-4. What assurance we have when we trust in the finish work Christ did for us on the cross. Praise the Lord our God and Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Pray with me

Oh, my Lord, thank you for the gift of salvation. Thank you for providing for us this narrow, one-way entrance to You. Father, forgive me for ever taking for granted the sacrifice You made. Why you did, will always be a mystery, but oh, my Lord, how I praise You for providing such pure, perfect blood to wash me clean.

Now, Father, fill my soul with Your Spirit so I might live to bring You glory and lead others on this one-way road to our heavenly home. In Jesus’ name, amen.

For encouragement read Romans 5: 12-17.