Wending the Way

## Rabbit Trails in the Temple

Luke tells us Jesus’ pattern of daily life and regular business. This Scripture appears to be ending a single day’s worth of teaching time in the Temple that spans back including all of chapter 20 and 21. Imagine sitting there listening to Jesus trying to keep up with His teaching points. Often teachers say things that spark rabbit trails in our thinking and expand outwardly. I basically consider my devotionals to you expanded rabbit trails; just stuff I think about when reading the Bible. While Mark and I alternate sections through Luke, these two chapters have produced my last 13 devotionals! These rabbit trails are usually very interesting and fun to think on. They often spur discoveries that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. But by the time I find my way back to the main trail, I’ve missed some of the teacher’s next points. I guess this is just to say that listening to Jesus’ Bible lessons would be rather full in content.

## Sleeping Near the Door

But where does the main trail lead to? Come from? We know Jesus always stayed as close to His Father as possible and spoke only by what He received from the Father (John 8:28). Two Spies looked extensively at the grammar of Genesis 28’s “A House of God” in our Jacob podcast and discovered there’s more than one access point from heaven to earth. Jacob called it, “A gate of heaven.” The Mount of Olives is Jesus’ first coming exit (Acts 1:6-12) and second coming entrance (Zechariah 14:4). This is the door/gate Jesus will use, and every night He sleeps near it. This is where the main trail comes from, and this is where Jesus is always teaching us to walk back to. The main trail is the way to the door of heaven.

## Self-Check

Wending one’s way- “to go in a specified direction, typically slowly by indirect route”. I don’t think God discourages wandering rabbit trails. He does not discourage wondering at them. God made the rabbit trails. This would be wondering about angels, multiplying of food, how healings actually work, or extra-dimensional/spiritual space. Ultimately for me, all the things we can study in the Bible lead to more knowledge about Jesus. Interpretations should end up on Him (Revelation 19:10). Some people only take the path directly there. No side trips for them! Some wander off and get lost considering their rabbit trails the main path. Some wonder at things they’ve discovered and just never get back on the main trail. But some wend their way on rabbit trails and return. Enjoy them, but come back to the Way and sleep near the Door. Jesus is the Way (John 14:6), and Jesus is the Door (John 10:9).

## The Bread