As we march through Holy Week to Easter Sunday, it occurs to me that our lives are aptly named a journey – just like the path Jesus took to the cross.

Each day of Jesus’s life led him to the day he saved the world.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t stray from His journey?

Whew!!  I sure am!

God created us to have a choice on whether to follow Him or not.

Knowing that we are weak, God loved us enough to give us a Savior when we would undoubtedly choose incorrectly.  He knew from the get-go that we were fallible human beings and that we would go astray given the choice.

One of the ways that I can comprehend God’s loving way is to think of my own parenting.  For example, I tell my boys to stay out of the street so that they won’t be hit by cars, but I am always on the watch for them to dart out because I know they will at some point think the ball crossing the street is more important than following my rules.

God is much the same.

I know there are many people out in the world that do not cling to Jesus Christ as their Savior.  Most of them have good reasons for their questions and doubts…especially if they looking at the Christian community as their guide.

Christ-followers are hypocrites, judge and juries, power-hungry individuals, gluttons, greedy people and basically every other sin-adjective known to man.

In fact, a friend of mine sent me the perfect quote that explains Christian people to a “T” by Charles Morrison, “The Christian church is the only society in the world in which membership is based upon the qualification that the candidate shall be unworthy of membership.”

The good news is that no average human walked in Jesus’s shoes to the Cross…The Son of God did.

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9

Please don’t base your belief in Jesus Christ by the moral fiber (or lack of) in humans.  Look to the character of Jesus.

He didn’t surround himself with the religious gurus of the time…he taught people like you and me to know His love by serving us and dying for us.

Jesus stayed the course of his journey because of God’s love for us.  He died on the cross so that we might have a chance to be reconciled with our Creator and The One who loves us the most.

The journey of Christ is a walk full of love, compassion and hope.

If you are struggling with your faith or your life – as we all do at times – ask God to work on you and to help you grow closer to Him by showing you the true character of Jesus Christ.

We are each walking towards redemption and it will take the entire journey of our lives to make it there.  Don’t give up because of a few bad apples in the mix.

In fact, we each are a bad apple that is given the chance to be made new through the blood of Christ.

Happy Easter!

Some Wisdom for Today:  Proverbs 15:21 – Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.