ONE WAY 

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem..." (Matthew 2:1)

Ever been late for an event?  Some of us get stressed about time and punctuality.  Others aren't as concerned about the clock, as long as they show up.  But being late for an appointment or class can have repercussions.  We'll have to re-book an appointment or be reprimanded for tardiness!  Other activities are not so time-sensitive, for instance a wake in the First nations community.  If you show up and show your respects for the departed, and shake hands and express condolences to the family, that is what matters. 

In the account of the wisemen traveling from the east, we see they arrived sometime "after" the birth of the Christ Child.  Why were they so late?  They knew the general location of the birth of this special baby, but they had left from a very distant country to the small nation of Israel.  Assuming that a royal heir would be born in the capital city, they stopped in to inquire of the reigning king, Herod, in Jerusalem.  The estimate is that they were up to two years late.

And think about the unusual GPS these wisemen used to find the Messiah? A star!  Somehow God led these magi in a low-tech world to find a tiny baby born in a nowhere town, Bethlehem.  A miracle.  These men trusted God's Word and His sign to lead them to the baby Jesus.

I also went on a journey to find peace, to find God. I wanted to know God and found myself invited to join a youth group.  There was no angelic announcement or bright star to follow.  But the Holy Spirit drew me, giving me a curiosity to find out how to have a relationship to God.  I had assumed going to church, reading the Bible, praying and even doing good deeds could make me acceptable to God.  Somehow being religious, doing religious things, would bring me closer to the Lord, in my human understanding. And I don't think I'm the only one to think that way.

But by God's grace, I began to read the Bible, ask questions of my youth leader and  come to realize that all my good deeds and religious activities would NOT save me.  So what was the answer?  How could I be okay with God and find peace for my guilty conscience?

One Bible study was a particularly challenging one for me. John 14:6 was the key verse and I just couldn't wrap my head around the words of Jesus.  He claimed, "I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me."  How could Jesus say such a thing?  What about all the people who went to church, gave to charities and took communion? Was there really only ONE way to God, to heaven?

Lying on my bed one July afternoon, I wrestled with the Lord about this.  And when I finished wrestling, I decided that I would choose to believe what Jesus claimed.  If He was the way, the truth and the life, that's what I wanted!  I prayed and received Jesus as my way, the only way.  I wasn't going to waste time searching other "paths" to enlightenment, or other religions to find truth. And I've never regretted the decision that day.  

1 John 5:11 & 12 "And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."

And just the like the magi, when we find Jesus, we find the greatest treasure of all!