“I was talking with one my neighbors last night,” I mentioned to Stan one morning. “He asked me something for which I didn’t have an answer.”
“What’s that?” Stan asked.
“It was about one of the things Jesus said about Himself,” I replied, “where He said that He is the only way to the Father.”
“In the sense of life eternally with the Father when it’s time?” Stan asked. “Is that what your neighbor was asking?”
“No,” I replied. “He’s secure in having the assurance of life eternally with God the Father because he has accepted that free and gracious gift through the finished work of Christ on the cross. He said he’s having some trouble finding God’s will for his life here and was wondering if he needs to go through Jesus to find that.”
“Seems to me,” Stan responded, “that the answer to that lies somewhere in observing what the early disciples did, and then do the same thing by being a modern-day disciple.”
“How so?” I asked.
“The early disciples, the ones who were with Jesus when He was here,” Stan said, “just watched to see where Jesus was going, and then they stuck close to Him. They didn’t go wandering off by themselves. I don’t recall reading anything about the disciples praying to God the Father to see what they should do next. Seems to me that they just followed Jesus.”
“Yeah,” I replied, “and didn’t Jesus say something about that regarding being a disciple? That I am to deny myself, take up what He has for me to take up, and then follow Him?”
“That’s it!” Stan said. “And I think that’s your answer. Jesus is certainly the only way to the Father for purposes of life eternally with God when it’s time. As well, Jesus is the way to the Father and to His will for this side of eternity.”
“Tell your neighbor,” he concluded, “just to stick close to Jesus, remembering that, as a believer, the Spirit of he risen Christ resides in him. Receive, embrace, and follow Him. That’s the way to the Father’s will.”
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Bible verses to consider:
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me. John 14:6.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17.
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of the Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Galatians 4:6.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for providing Jesus as the way into your eternal presence when my time here is finished. Thank you, too, that He is the way to you on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not seek you and your will through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the risen Christ. Pease help me in following every step of your lead so I truly seek you and your will in everything. Help me in surrendering and abandoning all that is in the way of seeking, hearing, and following the voice of the Holy Spirit. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted Jesus as the way to spending eternity in the Father’s presence? If no, why? Do you know how to accept that free and gracious gift? If you do have the assurance of salvation and redemption for eternal purposes, how are you doing with Jesus being the way to the Father for all things on this side of eternity? As well as you would like? As well as God would like? If you sense you need a deeper connection with Jesus as the way to the Father, do you want that to happen? If so, how is that goin to happen?
Waiting for the Train 
As I read and study scripture I can trace through the Old Testament and especially the New Testament when Jesus, the Son of God was physically active and seen on this earth, that His life was about honoring and glorifying the Father. He demonstrated in a many ways through His actions and what He said, taught, and applied.
I’m understanding more and more if I desire to emulate Jesus, then my focus should be on honoring and glorifying the Trinity by surrendering to God and allowing the Holy Spirit free reign in my life.
The Holy Spirit is the One who gives me the ability to honor & glorify God in the ways He desires.
Jesus demonstrated this strength facing the cross, as I understand, one of the most cruel and gruesome ways for the body to die. Jesus prayed in the garden prior to the trial for His body to be nailed to the cross to die: “…My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.”
Matthew 26:42 NET
and “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”
Luke 22:42 NET
Jesus honored and glorified God, even to Him being nailed, thru excruciating pain, dying on the cross in His human form…and rising again, he both died and was resurrected to the glory and honor of God!
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