How to Get From Here to There

Imagine you’re on a trip. Finally you reach a place where you can see your final destination. But there’s a problem. While you can see it with your eyes, in your limited human ability it’s impossible to get from here to there. As impossible as reaching the sun.

Here to There – Man’s Attempt to Reach God

That is an accurate picture of man and God. On our own, we can’t get from here to there. Religion, morality, philosophy, enlightenment, knowledge–none of it can bridge the gap between man and the God who created Him.

But there is good news.

Even though God, in His holiness, cannot abide sin, He loves us and longs to be in a relationship with us. In fact, He is the One who takes the initiative in seeking us out.

Here to There – Hide and Seek

Consider these verses about the first sinful men.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:8-9, NIV)

Notice what man did. He hid (or attempted to hide) from God.

And then see what God did. He called out to man with the question: Where are you?

While it is true that our sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2), God isn’t the One who moves away. We’re the ones responsible for the separation. We’re the ones who hide. God, in His great love and mercy, seeks us out, longing for reconciliation.

Still not convinced?

Then remember the story Jesus told of the prodigal son. As soon as he recognized that he had messed up, the prodigal humbly started his trip back home. The father ran to the son while he was still a long way off and embraced him.

Here to There – The Big Lie

We must recognize that we live in enemy-invaded territory and in a time when the enemy has sold us a big lie about how to get to God. Satan wants us to believe that there are many ways to get from here to there.

Don’t fall for it!

Here to There – One Way: Jesus

There is only one way to get to God, and that is through His prescribed method of de-sinning and forgiving us–His Son, Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can take away the sin that causes us to hide from God. Only He can remove our blame and guilt and shame.

So how do we get from here to there? One word: Jesus. Nothing else works.

God loves you, and still He calls: Where are you?

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