“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’” John 14:6
Before I set out on my morning run in a busy city where I was attending a work conference, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would lead me to a nice trail where I could spend some alone time with the Lord. I was not disappointed.
After meandering through a couple of neighborhoods, I saw a sign that read, Malcolm Terrace Park, with an arrow pointing me in the direction I just knew I was supposed to go. My first thought on arriving there and seeing a trailhead just past the park entrance was, “Oh Lord, thank You so much for the answered prayer.”
I smiled as I stepped onto the trail and traveled further down the gravel path, becoming surrounded by nature. Enveloped by the sounds of birds and forest creatures, I was overcome with emotion at the thought that the Lord loved me so much that He would personally arrange this quiet time with me. The moment was so precious that I didn’t want to keep it to myself. So when I got back to the hotel, I told the front desk about it so they could pass it along to others.
The staff thanked me and admitted that they had no idea that a walking path (which I discovered on the way back), a park, and a trail were that close to the hotel. When I’d checked in the day before, the only suggestion they had for me was to drive to a local lake—a round trip that would have cut substantially into my run time. So you can imagine how happy I was when they promised to pass that information on to other runners looking for a place to get away during their stay.
And you know, while it’s one thing to be intentional about sharing a new exercise route, many believers are not nearly as intentional about sharing Jesus Christ. Jesus commanded us:
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15
Here’s the deal: Every believer is commanded to tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. This is of the utmost importance, especially in an age when many are told that there are many roads to eternal life.
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
Jesus made it very clear that this was not true when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me.” That means Jesus is the ONLY route to salvation. Silence isn’t an option:
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14
My friend, don’t be afraid to share the message of the Gospel. Discovering a new path is good news—but discovering the ONLY path to eternal life is the best news anyone could ever receive. We are the bearers of the greatest news—the truth about eternal life. Share it with everyone you know. You may be the only messenger they ever hear!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that You not only provided a way to salvation but, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, also provided a way for us to have unhindered fellowship with You. Lord, give us boldness to share the Gospel at every opportunity, so that we might do our part in making heaven full. It’s in Your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
Melissa Sharp is an ultra runner and running coach who has completed more than 100 marathons and ultra marathons. Melissa has learned how to keep running the race of life for the glory of Christ even though she endured decades of domestic abuse. Melissa is a survivor. Through her daily blog thejoyfilledrunner she inspires others to live in the strength of Christ.
