“Why do some people believe that life is a journey?”
Dear Sisters and brothers with whom I share the same faith, peace be with you all in the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
It has been a great joy and privilege for me to participate in our local schools, particularly
contributing to their school assemblies and religious education. During my most recent visit to
the school, as a Christian, I was given a question to talk about: “Why do some people believe
that life is a journey?” On my way home, I was asking the same question: “why do Christians
believe that the life of faith is a journey?”
For Christians, the Bible refers to the life of faith as a “journey”, because it is a transformational
process into Christ’s image from one degree of glory to another. It continues throughout our
earthly life and grows closer to who God created us to be in the first place. This journey simply
focuses on the process of getting there, not the arrival. The focus is on the process, not any
perfection.
For the first disciples, it was a journey they started when Jesus called them to follow him, and
prior to His Ascension, He set them a mission: “…go and make disciples of all
nations…”(Matthew28:19), He also told them that, in His Father’s house there are many
dwelling-places, that he was going to prepare a place for all who will follow Him; that He will
come again and will take you to himself, so that “where He is, there they may be also.” (John
14:1-3), Jesus is the only way to the Father, because there are no works or deeds or actions
that can save us. The good news is that although this faith journey is full of ups and downs,
full of changes, transitions, challenges, and adventures, we are not alone. God is with us to
the end. There are also spiritual companions on the way, and sometimes the most unexpected
or unwelcome companion can draw us nearer to God or point us to Jesus Christ our Lord and
Saviour.
The Lent season is a time through which we remember the end of most significant earthly
journey story in Christian history. Jesus Christ left heaven, came to earth for our sake, lived
among us, died on the cross and rose again, so that we can live in and with Him. During this
Lent season, Jesus invites us to journey with Him into family relationships, friendships, work,
neighbourhoods, the persecuted church, and the broken world around us. The question is,
whom are you going to invite to journey with you this Lent? As a companion in this faith journey,
whom are you going to draw near or point to our Lord and Saviour this Lent season?
It is my prayer that our commitment and ultimate goal this lent season may be of pointing
others to Christ through companionship, words of invitation, actions, prayers, songs of praise
and fellowship, in the name of God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Yours in His service,
Probationer minister, Deacon Marcianne Uwimana