Saturday, December 3, 2011 - that Twilight Zone feeling

Jesus told him (Thomas), 

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; 

no one comes to the Father except by Me." 

John 14:6

     When Nick returned from going to the movies with the Middle school group last night, He told us, "I went to the bathroom during the movie and when I went back, everybody was gone. The front row was empty. I looked up to see if they'd moved to the top rows but they weren't there either.  I finally realized that wasn't a Muppet spoof of "Twilight" playing on the screen - it was the real thing and I was in the wrong theatre."   

     I can relate, can't you?  I've wandered around in parking lots, waited for a friend at the wrong restaurant, arrived way too early or way too late for the meeting - or worse, for the party.  In those moments we, too, feel like visitors to the Twilight zone - strange, confused, and a little betrayed by our surroundings because we sincerely want to be in the right place at the right time for all the right reasons.  

     One day, when "at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," (Philippians 2:10) many people will realize too late that they wandered in the Twilight Zone of "equally valid" religions, following paths that led them away from the One True God.  Sincere devotion to the wrong path still drops us off at the wrong destination.

     Your church, like mine, is probably making every effort to reach people for Christ this Christmas.  Which of our acquaintances or neighbors is wandering, lost, alone, and confused?  How can we draw them into the warmth and security of Truth? What will we do to shine the Light to the only Way?  

     Father, thank You for salvation through Your Son, Sweet Little Jesus Boy, grown to be Savior of the world and Prince of Heaven.  Thank You for blazing the path to salvation clearly through the maze of world creeds and good deeds.  Show us Your Power to save; bring revival into Your churches as we live the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Shine Your Light in us, through us, and around us so those wandering in darkness will see the Way out of their confusion.  Spark Your children and churches with fervor to not only tell about but to show Your God-Power through the way You shape our lives.

In the Name of Jesus, the Only One through Whom we're saved 

Inspired by Live Loved, by Max Lucado