Follow the Path Jesus has Set for You

10/09/2023

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from John 7:34, ” You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come. “

Background

I waffle back and forth over which is my favorite movie. I have three that are forever dear to me, each pulling on my heartstrings in different ways. Perhaps tellingly, the most recent of the three is 35 years old, that being Chariots of Fire . My other two are Casablanca , from 1942, and To Kill a Mockingbird , from 1962. In Casablanca , Rick and Ilsa are unexpectedly reunited after she broke his heart some time ago in Paris. But upon learning the full story of Ilsa’s decision to abandon Rick as they fled Paris and the Germans, that her husband, whom she thought had been killed, was found to be alive, and that Ilsa even now still loved Rick, his heart softens and he agrees to help her and her husband in their Nazi resistance. In the final scene, when Ilsa expects Rick and her to fly away to freedom, Rick instead sends her on with her husband, convincing Ilsa of her importance to his cause against the war. Rick says, ” I’ve got a job to do, too. Where I’m going, you can’t follow. What I’ve got to do, you can’t be any part of. ” And while Rick’s decision was borne out of a desire to be noble and brave, Jesus’ message to the officers for the Pharisees and chief priests concerning His path was of a different sort.

Application

His declaration promised of an eternal home, where the strikes of His attackers could not touch Him. Though His enemies may want to punish and torture Him for all time, their reach cannot cross the span into heaven. And though their attacks are now turned against His earthly followers, we are comforted to know that we, too, shall one day rest with Him where Satan’s arrows cannot fly. And to the great demise of those doomed, though they may seek one who could set them free, they will not seek the One who has set them free. In seeking ones that take His place, they will never know the true Messiah, the One who did the job that the world’s substitutes cannot accomplish. Jesus had a job to do, and praise God He did it. He is alive now in heaven, and praise God that He is. And thank God that we will one day follow Him.

Charge

As we seek Him today, let the humility and faithfulness of Jesus lead you to be noble and brave for His cause.

Author — Rich Holt | BCWorldview.org

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