A meaningful life
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me....Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (NKJV) John 14:1,6.
Let us picture the present world as a boat at sea swept off its course by tidal winds and has lost its bearings. The way to land and safety has been confused, although the sailors have an accurate map and a working compass. Every sailor is interpreting the map differently and each sailor adopting his own method to read the compass and posting it as the true means. In a chaotic situation like the one described here, what will be the reaction of the passengers travelling in that boat? The passengers will conclude that all hope is lost and that life is futile, failure is fatal and death is final (Hodge, 2007). As the inspiring introduction to Gideon’s Bible puts it “It (The Bible) is the traveller’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter”.
Why should there be despair and why should there be confusion when the great Captain of the boat gives us His comforting words in John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me”.
The departing words of Christ (John 13) saddened the heart of the apostles. As the great leader they have come to know for the past three years announced His death, it triggered a mood of despair and fear. The words of Christ in John 14:6 were to comfort and give assurance to the Apostles whose faith and hope were waning off. And that comfort and assurance transcend to all humanity to let us know that ‘life is not futile, failure is not fatal and death is not final. AMEN!