Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me'” (John 14:6).
My husband loved maps. As dementia stole his ability to drive, I took over driving and I assigned him the task of being “#1 Navigator.” He grew up on paper maps so we always had an Atlas in the car as on furloughs we often traveled around the USA. He loved to see our progress. My husband had to adjust to the apps that are more like a micro manager of the trip. The cell phone speaking to me about where to turn in so many feet always drew a comment about – if the cell phone knows where I am, why do I doubt God knows!
Our context for the sixth “I am” Jesus said to his disciples in the gospel of John comes in chapter 14. Jesus is walking with his followers from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is on the way to the cross and knows the trial he is to face. He tells them to love one another for he is leaving. Peter is confused and Jesus continues.
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.
The context of the “I am” is a conversation about going to heaven, not about going to prosperity or to good health or to popularity. Belief in Jesus is the parameters for discovering Jesus as the way, the route to eternal life. When I think of Jesus as “the truth” I realize that there are many ways to get from point A to point B and there are many side roads that are dead ends and detours that make our trip longer and more expensive. I think that is true about life. I can remember the time I lost chasing the wrong guy. I think of the time spent on jobs that prepared me. God can use all our experiences but there were lessons I learned the hard way, not following truth. Lastly Jesus says that he is “the life.” Some journeys are long and boring and others are fun and exciting. Perhaps Jesus is not “the life of the party” but he definitely brings life to the party of our days. Blessings as you ponder Jesus being “the way, the truth, and the life” that leads you forward to eternal life.
On the Way to Wonder 