The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Good evening friends and followers,


We are 25 days, almost 26, into the new year. I hope 2016 has gotten off to a great start for each of you. If you've enjoyed my recent posts, then I welcome you back. I'd like to take a few minutes now, here in this post, to shift the theme of my blog back to one of its originally intended purposes... through the sharing of real life stories in my walk with God in the hope that they will encourage, and draw readers closer to Him as well.


A few days ago, I was looking through some digital photos that I had taken on my phone and then stored on my computer. I enjoy the occasional trip down memory lane. In browsing my photo library, I came across a particular set that really brought back some good times.


Many moons ago (well, to be accurate... only a little under four years ago)... I was a game leader for the week long Vacation Bible School (or VBS, for short) at my local church. It was the summer of 2012 and the theme that year was "Amazing Wonders" and one of the examples of God's amazing wonders was the Grand Canyon.


On one of the days (I believe it was in the middle of the week if my memory is still any good)... I thought about the Grand Canyon as I was getting set to plan that morning's activities during game time. I took two jump ropes and set them across from each other, divided the kids into two teams, and had each team line up across from each other, behind the ropes. The gap in the middle was to represent the Grand Canyon, the object of the game being to bounce a ball back and forth without it hitting the ground, or "falling into the canyon"


After a few minutes (not to mention several instances of having lost the ball in the canyon)... I had them all line up on the same side behind one rope and then repositioned the second rope so that it was about four feet away. I asked them a question. "Who thinks they can jump over this gap, this canyon in the middle, without any help?" Most of them had no trouble. Four feet is not a terribly long distance. But what if the gap was much wider, I thought? I moved the rope again, this time probably 20, or maybe 30 feet away... and again presented them with the challenge. "Who can jump the gap, without any help?" Some of the them admitted they couldn't. A few others tried to get a running start but still wound up falling into the canyon. None of them could cross the gap in one jump. So I asked them another question.


"How wide is the gap between us... and God?" A lot of these kids had grown up in the church, so they knew the answer. But for those that did not, I hoped that the illustration was a good one. "Very big... much much bigger than the canyon" seemed to be the consensus answer.


What is it that makes the gap so big? "Sin!" was the unanimous answer. And finally, I asked one more question. "How can we cross the gap then?"


John 14:6 says these words... Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."


This same illustration was used when I first heard the gospel, when I first trusted Jesus, at the age of 18. I never grew up in the church, and never knew Jesus as a child. Perhaps that is why I have always had the heart that I do for children's ministry. I know first hand, just how important it is to have that relationship with God at a young age.


Our sin is what separates us from God "For all have sinned and fall short of His glory" Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for our sins, so that we could be reconciled to God. He is the only way!


Anyway, after the canyon game... I put away the ropes and I think we spent the rest of that morning doing relay races. I enjoyed so very much my time at VBS that summer, and it gives me such great joy to see how much the kids, and most everyone else at my old church as well, truly love God.


Blessings to you all,

Mike