Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

In the Chaplain’s Corner last week, I wrote about wilderness experiences. These are times when we feel lost, when we don’t know what to do or where to go, where we feel as if we are not making progress in the right direction. The opposite of a wilderness experience is when we are on a journey, when we are moving confidently in the path that we believe to be ordained by God.

This message is similar to a devotional I gave last month at the Women’s Fellowship Luncheon, so a few of you might remember it. I said that when I began to pray about the message, the verse above from John 14:6 came almost immediately to mind.

That’s an absolute statement if I ever heard one. You know that some things are flexible, but there is no wiggle room in this statement. We can be vegetarians or meat eaters. We can travel by car, on foot, air, train or any number of ways. But in this verse, there is absolutely no flexibility or option. Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE. NO ONE comes to the Father except through Jesus.

And by saying that Jesus is the way, this implies to me a journey, and I have always liked that analogy of life, comparing our lives to a journey. The book Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan, which has been so popular through the years, is an allegory about Christian’s journey to the Celestial City, which is Heaven. Now some of us are on a pilgrimage type of journey—we have a destination and we are working hard to get there. If you are on a journey, but don’t have a destination in mind, then you might be more about wandering in the wilderness, and as we discussed last week, that’s okay, too, as long as we realize it. You can learn a lot about yourself and about God when you are in the wilderness, if you will let yourself.

Last month I had the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. with a friend. My friend has a good innate since of direction, but I do not. She thinks she can’t read a map however, but I can, or at least I thought I could. The first day we were there, we just decided to wander. We didn’t have any tours booked, so we just decided to get the lay of the land. We asked the concierge at the hotel which way to the Washington Monument, which is a central point for all the famous sites. We thought that would get us going in the right direction, and it did. A special feature is that you can see it from a long way off, so that also gave us a reference point. We enjoyed our day, and all the rest of the time we were there. On Friday, our last day, we went to Mt. Vernon by boat, and returned to D.C. about 3 pm. We had plans for the evening, but nothing on the agenda for the afternoon, so I said I wanted to see the Museum of the Bible. It’s relatively new, opened less than two years. We didn’t have a lot of time because it closed at 5, so we Ubered there. It was amazing (that’s perhaps another Chaplain’s Corner), and then it was closing time. We decided to walk back to the hotel.

I can tell you that we were still enjoying ourselves, but our feet were beginning to feel the accumulated stress of so much walking on concrete so we didn’t want to waste any steps on going in the wrong direction. So me, the map reader, gets out the map and says, we are on 4^th, and therefore we should cross the street and walk up the block, and if we hit 3rd, we know we are ok. So that’s what we did, and we hit 6th. Uh, oh. We turned around and went the other direction, and then I said we should cross North Carolina Avenue next, but we didn’t. Uh, oh. So we stopped and asked a woman in uniform how to get to our hotel and she said go up the next light and take a right. What? That couldn’t be correct. By my calculation, that would mean we were going in the opposite direction, away from our hotel. But we did it anyway, walked to the next light, took a right, and guess what—the Capitol was right in front of us! Thank you!!!

As grateful as we were to get our bearings, I was also stunned. How could this be? How could I have been so off?

Well, first off, was I using the right map? I’m happy to say that I was. I knew the Museum was on 4^th Street. If I had been looking for a map with a 4^th Street, many city maps would do. Even a map of Nashville would do. But just because it has 4^th Street doesn’t mean that it’s the right 4^th Street. I need to be sure that I am using the correct map. That seems obvious, but you know that we often look for spiritual maps based on the qualities we desire; perhaps we look for spiritual maps that worship the idols we prefer to worship. In spiritual terms, that might be like saying I’m looking for a religion that is all about love. Many religions are about love. New Age religion, for example, is more about love of self, and it would be very validating of the way I might selfishly prefer to feel and live my life. But only one religion defines love as first and foremost about a relationship between ourselves and God, and that is the only Truth and our only hope. The Bible is our best map, it is the TRUTH, and it will not steer us wrong.

Well, the good news is that I was using the right map, so again, what had I done wrong? Come to find out, I had calculated our location incorrectly. The Museum of the Bible is on 4^th Street, but somehow I had plotted it into the southeast rather than the southwest quadrant of D.C. So my lefts should have been rights, etc. That would be like trying to get to the Women’s Campus on 8^th Ave. S, rather than 8^th Ave. N. (or Rosa Parks as it is now). The spiritual comparison is ensuring that we are in right standing with God each and every day, before we head out on our journey. Even with the right map, or right belief system about God, we must re-orient ourselves continually with God, through prayer, confession, reading our Bible. These are basics, but they are most important to us as we continue our journey, our pilgrimage, to the Promised Land, the Celestial City, Heaven.

That last comparison I will make is about landmarks and advisors. The way I found out that I had calculated the location incorrectly was when we stopped to ask directions. We found a woman in a Park Service Uniform, so we knew she would be knowledgeable. She had the right credentials. When we were walking around town earlier in the week in the National Mall area with all the monuments, there were directional signs everywhere pointing us to the different memorials. That was very helpful. But I can’t tell you how relieved we were on that last day to see the Capital, just about three blocks away. Even though I knew I was not where I thought I should be, I knew that it was where it was supposed to be, and I could get my bearings. At last, we knew where we were! I love the memorials that are designated in the Bible. The Temple, the rainbow, the 12 Stones from the Jordan River are all tangible reminders of the majesty and power of God and what He has done for us. Weekly worship, and even the things we celebrate on a regular basis such as the Lord’s Supper and baptism are those reminders that help us to be sure that we are going in the right direction, heading toward our final destination.

So, when you are on your journey, be sure that you have the right map—the Bible, that you are orienting yourself regularly through prayer, confession, and reading and memorizing Scripture, and that you are taking advantage of landmarks and directional signs such as belonging to a Bible-believing church where you can participate in life groups and participate in corporate worship with the ordinances such as the Lord’s Supper and Baptism.

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

May God bless you on your journey.

In Christ,

Judy

Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you felt so confident that you were where you were supposed to be, and doing what you were supposed to be doing?  Sort of a right time, right place kind of thing. I’ll be honest with you, that is how I feel right now. However, like many of you, I have also experienced those times when I felt like I should be somewhere else—I felt discontented with either my job, my place of residence, or my church. I felt like it was the wrong place to be, or that I should be doing more or something different. Should I go back to school? Should I leave and look for something else? Some of you may have that sense with the person you are dating—should you marry? Should you break up and wait for the person God has chosen for you? Maybe you or a loved one has endured a time of illness, and you are physically unable to do the things you used to do but not sure what to do next.

I equate those times to a wilderness. Although I have not counted them myself, I read a commentary that says there are over 300 references to wilderness in the Bible. Perhaps the most well-known example is when the Israelites were delivered from slavery in Egypt, only to wander for 40 years in the desert before finally getting to enter the Promised Land (the journey should have taken only 11 days).  Jesus spent 40 days in the desert where he was being tempted by the Devil. After Paul’s dramatic conversion on the Road to Damascus in A.D.34, it is not until A.D. 47 that he makes his first missionary journey. What did he do in that intervening time of about 13 years? Even though he was hot to trot to go on the road to preach, instead he had to hide out in Arabia for about three years, then traveled back to Damascus but had to escape, went to Jerusalem for a short time, then back home to Tarsus for his safety for about nine years. After such a wonderful conversion experience, he is seemingly stopped at every turn from doing what he feels called to do.

What happened during these wilderness experiences?

1. Israelites – They were becoming a nation of God’s people. Make no mistake, they were a difficult group to manage. It was only by God’s grace and persistence rather than their cooperation, which is why it took so long. During this time, God taught them to trust him for their daily bread, he gave them their laws and celebrations to set them apart, and he reinforced his power over their lives by fighting all their battles for them, keeping them safe from harm. Starting with the parting of the Red Sea where the Egyptians were defeated and all the way through to the Battle of Jericho where the Canaanites were defeated, God demonstrated his unmistakable sovereignty over his people.
2. Jesus – He was preparing himself for his earthly ministry. He had just been baptized by John the Baptist, and then was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for 40 days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry (Luke 4:1-3). Jesus had been living with his family until then, and afterward his wilderness experience, he began to teach, to heal, and to drive out demons.  
3. Paul – He was getting to know his Savior. He was a very well-educated Jew; no one knew the Bible better than he did. He would have even known all the prophecies about the coming Messiah. But until his conversion, he didn’t know Jesus. But by the time he started his missionary journeys, however, he had an intimate knowledge of Jesus, just as if he had walked and talked with Jesus like the disciples who surrounded Jesus during His time on earth.

Typically, we find our wilderness experiences uncomfortable. We may even characterize them as suffering. A big part of that misery is that we don’t know how long they are going to last and how it’s all going to turn out. If we knew that, we could probably bear most anything. But isn’t that the purpose? Every time I get through one of these times in my life, I realize that I could have handled it so much better. Rather than grumbling like the Israelites about every little thing, I should have been grateful for every little thing. I should have been fasting and praying like Jesus. I should have been reading and memorizing Scriptures and getting to know Jesus on a more personal basis to prepare myself for whatever is the next thing that God has in store for me.

I need to realize that the wilderness experiences are part of my Christian walk. Even though I don’t believe I am making progress, I believe that if I would approach these times correctly they could be some of the most rewarding and important times in my life, and I believe the same is true for you.

How do we know we are in a wilderness? The best indicator is a feeling of discontent. Is every feeling of discontent a wilderness? Probably not.  How can we know? I think when we experience this feeling, the first thing to do is to go to our knees and pray for discernment. The discontent could be because of unconfessed sin. It could even be for the lack of gratitude for how God is presently working in our lives. But if the discontent continues even after prayer, confession, and expressing gratitude, then we just might be in a wilderness experience. If so, seize it and ask God to do whatever he wants to do with you. Take Jesus’ example and fast and pray and devour the word of God so that it becomes your daily bread and your sustenance as you seek his will.  

Furthermore, this is an area where we as brothers and sisters in Christ can uphold each other with encouragement and accountability because sometimes it’s not always apparent to ourselves when we are in a wilderness. A loving and perceptive friend can be helpful. Maybe that’s why the fruits of the spirit include so many traits that are useful in these interactions: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Every one of these can be essential in overcoming a wilderness, either of our own or of someone we know.

The second and third chapters of Revelation talk about the rewards of overcoming. That’s what I believe it takes to get through a wilderness successfully–to overcome the trials and temptations that are rampant in such an experience. And as you look back from such an experience, I pray that you will realize that even in the wilderness, you were right where you were supposed to be, in the middle of God’s will, right time/right place.

My prayer for you is that you will be as the faithful church in Philadelphia, even while persevering through your own wilderness experiences, as described in Revelation 3:7-12: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.'”

In Christ,

Judy

One of the most wonderful things to me about working here at Nashville Rescue Mission is being so securely in God’s will. How do I know this? Because there are so many references to God’s love for and desire for the least of these in the Bible: the widow, the orphan, the poor, the needy, and the foreigner.  This is definitely an enduring theme in the Bible; beginning in Exodus, there are at least 114 references in the Bible to the underprivileged and more importantly, to how we should treat them. For example:

• “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan” (Exodus 22:22).
• “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits” (Exodus 23:6).

We may wonder why there are needy people in the world. The Bible tells us in both the Old and the New Testaments that there will always be poor people. It may be that some are called to be poor. We know that the poor, while having physical needs, can be very rich in spiritual matters. “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (James 2:5).

It is not for us to know why there are poor people, but what is very clear in the Scriptures is that we are all accountable to God for how we treat those who are less fortunate that we are. I believe that it is an extension of God’s command to Adam to serve as steward over all God’s Creation. We certainly cannot judge others for their poverty or distress; in fact, what I hear from so many of you, and what I have experienced myself, is that we all are or have been just one decision away from disaster.

I thank God for the privilege of serving you, as you so selflessly give of your time and talents to serve God by serving the poor and less fortunate among us. Whether you serve as in Guest Services, Life Recovery, Operations, or in Development or Administration, each of you has a vital role to play in supporting the overall Mission of the Mission: Providing hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity to the hungry, hurting, and homeless.

We certainly won’t get rich working for the Mission. In fact, for many it is a personal sacrifice. Most of you could work somewhere else for more money, and many of you work more than one job just to be able to continue to serve here. In that way, you are giving of your financial capacity to serve here, along with your gifts and talents. Your role may involve hospitality, meeting nutrition and clothing needs, case management, therapy, coaching, preaching, teaching, and/or advocacy. If you are not directly serving, you are making it possible for others to serve through your fund-raising and administrative efforts. Whatever your role, it always involves listening, loving, and sharing the hand and smile of friendship, just as the Bible commands:

• “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9).
• “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” (James 1:27a).
• “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12:33-34).

When Jesus was nearing the end of his earthly life, he had left the temple where he had been speaking to his disciples and the crowds, and he had gone to the Mount of Olives. The disciples came to Jesus privately and asked him about some of his teaching regarding the end of the age. When you read chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew, they are almost totally written in red letters, meaning that these are the words of Jesus. They are some of his last words before the Last Supper, after which he was taken away to be crucified. In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus tells his disciples about the separation of the sheep (on his right) and the goats (on his left).

• ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
• ³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
• ⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Nashville Rescue Mission is a wonderful place to work. It blesses my heart to see God working through and among you each and every day. I am confident that regardless of your position in this earthly life, as faithful, obedient Christ-followers and stewards of God’s Creation here on earth, you will be eternally blessed by our heavenly Father.

In Christ,

Judy