The Road to God

Here's some words that bare the soul: 

Jesus is the only way to God.

It is a truth of the Scripture and of daily life. But people don't like it. It seems exclusive and prideful, right? Here's the thing - every single world view is, whether right or wrong. If you believe in a religion that says you have to work hard to please God, than you believe those who don't agree with you are damned. If you believe in achieving a higher sense of being, than you are condemning those who believe in God, putting your own sense of self above theirs. If you believe "all paths lead to God" than you are saying that those who believe there is only one path to God are wrong, thereby discounting your own argument that everyone's way is the right way. 

It's been more of an intellectual understanding for me in much of my life. But now I see it in a new way...

When Mark and I held Jairus in our arms on December 28th, he was lifeless. And we knew without a doubt (as you do for your living children, but with more punctuated reality when they are no  longer living) that we would have done anything to save our son's life. We would not have given him up for any price. We would have never let him die if there was anyway around it. No parent would send their child to die. They would step in and save them, even die in their place. A parent would spare them death.

So when I think of God the Father and God the Son, I observe this: Think of how much I love my children, and they are not perfect. They make me crazy sometimes, but I love them with my whole being. And I am not a perfect parent, not by a long shot. I lose my temper, I ignore them, I struggle to understand their needs. But I would do anything for them. 

God is a perfect Father in every way. He doesn't fall short, doesn't lose His temper, doesn't forget. And His Son is perfect in every way. There is no conflict between them, no separation or frustration non rebellion. No strain in the interaction at all. Just perfect love and community and relationship.  

If you could be "good enough" to get to Heaven, if you could reach enlightenment on your own  power, if you could believe in many different gods and get to the True God, then God the Father would never have allowed His Son, to die. He would never have sent Jesus to earth knowing full well the pain and agony it would be for him to die on the cross and pay for our sin. 

A father would never give up his child if there were any way to save him. And God is a more perfect Father than we can even conceive. He sent His Son to the world, because there is no other way to be reconciled to Him. Jesus had to come to earth. There was no other way for God to get His children back. If there were any other way, He would have spared His Son. A parent would do anything to spare their child's life. 

The Father loves the Son. And He loves you as His child as well. And that is why Jesus was willing to come and to die. Because God sees you as His beautiful, wonderful child. And you are worth dying for. He gladly suffered and died so that you don't have to. Because He is also your Father. 

Little Jairus died, there was nothing we could do about it. God knew beforehand what His son would go through, He did not have to send Jesus to earth. So we know that it was not an easy choice for the Lord. It was painful. And He had to keep His eyes on the prize, to remember that it would all be worth it. Because He desires to be with you.