“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!”

John 14:7-8

I don’t know about you, but I am rubbish with directions. If I’m on a walk in the woods I’ll always lose all sense of where I am in relation to the car park and whenever I’m driving you’ll often hear me shouting ‘WHAT LANE’ to my sat nav or fellow passengers as I try to figure out whether I’m meant to take the slip road or keep driving. 

In the passage which we read today, the disciples are also feeling confused about directions. Jesus is telling the disciples about the place he has prepared for them in heaven and says: 

“When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going.”

At this news the disciples begin to panic: 

“But Jesus, we don’t know where you are going so how can we know the way?”

In the disciple's mind, perhaps it seems like one huge game of hide-and-seek. Jesus is going to hide at his Father’s house who they have never met, and they’ve just got to wander around to try and find him, with no set of directions. You can see why they might be worried! 

However, the ‘way’ which Jesus speaks about is not a route, but a person. Just as the wise men followed the star, this Advent, let’s focus on getting to know the person of Jesus. We don’t need directions, we need to follow Him, and through following Him, we’ll find relationship with Him. 

Advent Activation

Perhaps you’re also panicking about directions. Whether that’s what job you have after university or where you’re going to live. Well let me remind you, it’s not about directions, it’s about a relationship. 

Today, lay down your map, turn off the sat nav and close your to-do list.

Lay down the directions.

Spend some quality time with Jesus.

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