John 14:“Do not let your heart be troubled; [a]believe in God, believe also in Me.2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, thereyou may be also. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” 6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
As believers we should be the most confident people in the world we live in, but that is not always the case. So many believers find themselves struggling to just make it through another day, instead of “taking the day” for the Lord. Confidence (def) – the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust. I am pretty sure you are like me and have been “let down” so many times in your life by someone or some circumstances you cannot control. I was the little boy who when his dad said he would bring something home was at the window watching for it to happen. When it did I was so excited and appreciative that I couldn’t contain it all. When it didn’t happen I was so disappointed that my confidence had not been warranted. As a Father it has always been my desire to “come through” for my kids and grandkids and sometimes it has happened and sometimes it hasn’t. I want them to have confidence in me.
In the above scripture Jesus is telling His disciples “you can count on me” and Thomas said the key phrase where he said “Lord, we do not know where you are going, how do we know the way?” Good ole doubting Thomas sure makes it real doesn’t he? He puts the double meaning question into the mix and Jesus puts the truth back as an answer. BAM!! Jesus said ““I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” Nuff said! Jesus sure knows how to calm a fear. You don’t know the way? I am the way! Jesus said all that in less than twenty words. That’s what you call not mincing words. Jesus just got through telling them He was going to prepare a place for their eternal home and Thomas asks how all that will happen. So when we are trying our best to live for Jesus and have those doubts about what God is trying to do in the situation it is best to learn to trust the Heavenly Father who is the way, is the truth, is the life. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. The Lord is working out a great plan in our lives and our appeal to Him for our needs and wants is part of that plan. It is the development of our faith that helps us grow in the Lord and He seems to add more and more to that faith as we learn to trust Him more. Our confidence is in the Lord and His ways, and our life has to be built on that confidence in Him, Proverbs 3:26 says, “For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”
Sometimes our lack of faith can come across as pride. Pride in ourselves doing it all and pride in my ability to work everything out. Thomas probably showed he had that problem when he asked Jesus about which way He was talking about. He wanted to see it. None of this “pie in the sky” stuff for him. The only problem was he was questioning the source of everything and that was not wise. Jesus dispelled all fears when he said the one standing in their midst was the way, and the truth, and the life. Of course our confidence should be well warranted by who we believe in, but when it is Jesus it is well grounded. Those who don’t learn to have faith in the God of the Universe miss the confidence we all need to control our day for Jesus. Faith = confidence.
Time to step up and step out boldly and believe in what God has put in your life and live it!! Here is a story that makes it all come into focus. John McKay, of the NFL, tells a story illustrating the supreme confidence of University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant: “We were out shooting ducks, and finally, after about three hours, here comes one lonely duck. The Bear fires. And that duck is still flying today. But Bear watched the duck flap away, looked at me and said, ‘John, you are witnessing a genuine miracle. There flies a dead duck!'” Supreme confidence in the Lord is a wonderful miracle itself and that confidence means something when we are living for Jesus in every area of our life. Faith is the necessary ingredient in our life. If it is not, you will be Lost- In the Middle of Somewhere. Time to realize that God is the supreme authority in every situation and everything else bows to His supreme authority. He is the way, the truth, and the life. In Him we are not lost, but found.
The Pilgrimage continues…
David Warren
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