Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:5-6

Recently, 50 Belgians boarded a motor coach for an all-night trip to the ski slopes at La Plagne.

They partied and visited and then went to sleep, so they might get to their destination the next morning fully rested and ready to go shushing down those spectacular, snowy slopes.

Things didn't work out that way.

Dawn's first light did not reveal a ski village, nor did it show any snow, nor anything which resembled a mountain. Looking out their bus windows, the 50 holiday-ers saw vineyards ... the kind of vineyards they have in the south of France.

They consulted with their driver.

He explained he had faithfully followed the directions of his GPS. All night he had been following those directions that said he was going to La Plagne. What the driver didn't share, or realize, is that the GPS had listed three different La Plagnes in France.

The La Plagne he had selected was the wrong one.

He had selected the La Plagne which had taken the company of skiers 750 miles away from their intended holiday. When the travelers realized what had happened, they confronted the driver who refused to believe them. He continued on his way, following the directions of his GPS, until the road signs and maps showed they were a few miles from the Spanish border.

The skiers eventually ended up at the right destination, but their unplanned side trip had cost them a day of their holiday. Most of the skiers took the delay with good humor, and why not -- they had an excellent story to share.

When folks follow wrong directions and wrong voices, things do not always turn out so well.

Throughout history there have always been voices that have said, "If you wish to be forgiven of your sin, if you wish to be given peace, if you want eternal security, you should follow this or worship that." Folks who listen and follow this advice are going to be disappointed.

They will be eternally disappointed for they will never get to their desired destination.

The ultimate, final and only truth is this: only faith in Jesus Christ can forgive and make good on its guarantee of eternal life. That is because only Jesus has carried and removed our sins and only Jesus has defeated death.

All this He has done so we will reach the right destination. As Jesus told us, He is "the Way."

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, there are many voices that make many false claims about eternal life. Grant that we may hear Your voice, walk Your path, and follow Your Son, for in Him and Him alone is eternal life. This we ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Judges 19-21    Luke 16

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