I Just Don't Get It!!!

Have you ever been in a situation where you just didn’t get it? Someone shares a joke and everyone’s hysterical except you. You’re in a yoga class and the leader seems to be speaking a foreign language. Or worse yet, you think you understand but then do something that clearly demonstrates you don’t have a clue. I was recently reminded of that kind of situation.

My husband Gary, our son Andrew, and I were visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. There was a virtual experience where you could try to make a goal. Gary and Andrew did great. Then it was my turn. I took my first shot and was told that slapshots were not allowed. I apologized and took another one… which was also a slapshot. The guy working the venue said I needed to do a wrist shot and my husband explained what that was. I thought I did what he said but alas, it was another slapshot. More instructions and more slapshots until thankfully, my time ran out. I handed my stick back to the guy running the experience. He seemed amused by the whole thing. I can’t say the same for the long line of people waiting for their turn who had strange looks on their faces. I imagined they were thinking something like, “Stupid American trying to play our sport!”

No matter what my son and husband said or how they tried to demonstrate it, I couldn’t carry it out. I thought I got it but that was not the case. To this day, I have no idea how to do anything other than a slapshot with a stick and a puck. Since I’ll never play ice hockey – or do a virtual experience of it again – it really doesn’t matter. But there are some things we need to “get” because the stakes are so very high.

We may truly believe that all roads lead to heaven, or that God is love so He would never condemn anyone to eternal torment. But that’s not what the Bible says. Jesus proclaimed this in John 14:6: …"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV) In Romans we read: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God… For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom 3:23, 6:23 NIV) Salvation is available to everyone but like any other gift, we need to take it for it to be ours. It’s not enough just to know Who Jesus is and that He died for our sin then rose again. We need to personally accept the payment He made on our behalf by asking Him to forgive us and to be our Savior and the Lord of our life. When we do, John 1:12 tells us what happens: Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (NIV) Children who will spend eternity with their Heavenly Father in glory.

If you have any questions or want to know more about Jesus or the salvation He offers, please contact me. I’d count it a privilege to clarify and share some additional truths so that you may know Him personally and spend eternity in heaven.

The next time you’re having difficulty trying to comprehend what someone is describing or saying, let it remind you of the most important thing that needs to be understood and received.

Something I’m praying you will truly “get” along the way.