Cheering You Down the Narrow Way

Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. John 12:41 ESV1

Read John 12:37-41

I stole the title for this article from the line my friend, Nathan,2 uses to end many of his correspondences. This message is reminiscent of Jesus’ direction:

“‘Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few’” (Matthew 7:13-14).

My friend’s often-used closing remark is a reminder but it is also a reassurance. Anyone who enters the Narrow Gate onto the Road to Jesus’ Kingdom will find that the Way contains some significantly challenging sections. Therefore, those who travel this Road need some cheering on along the way. May this article encourage you to continue on the Hard Way, particularly if you find yourself on an incredibly difficult section of the Road.

Encouragement from a Fellow Traveler

Many have journeyed this Road before you. The Apostle John was one such traveler. John was one of Jesus’ closest disciples. He was allowed to accompany Jesus to places most of the other disciples were not. Examples include the Mount of Transfiguration3 (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:1-13 & Luke 9:28-36) and the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus4 (Luke 8:40-42, 49-56). Additionally, as He hung upon the Cross, it was to John that Jesus gave the charge of His mother.

It is evident from John’s writings that he had a deep and satisfying relationship with Jesus. John knew he was dear to Jesus. He even referred to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved” five times in his Gospel (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7 & 20). But that doesn’t mean John’s association with Jesus gave him a problem-free life. In fact, it was because John loved Jesus so much that he was treated so poorly.

John was persecuted for his commitment to Christ. Tradition holds that John was thrown into a vat of boiling oil. When he came out unscathed, his persecutors exiled him to the Island of Patmos. It was from this penal island that John wrote Revelation (Revelation 1:9-11a).

Most of John’s Gospel explains the significant events of Jesus’ last week of ministry. John made a point of mentioning that Jesus did far more than he could record.

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31).

John’s purpose in writing his Gospel was to prove that Jesus was the Messiah. At this point in his writing, John could have chosen to highlight any of the hundreds of Messianic Prophesies that Jesus fulfilled, but John brought up two particular prophesies. Since John’s secondary purpose in writing was that Believers would fully and abundantly experience the life we have in Christ’s name, I believe he chose these prophecies to encourage those following in Christ’s footsteps.

It was in this context that John included his specifically selected Messianic Prophesies:

“Though [Jesus] had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him, so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

 

‘Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?’

 

Therefore, they could not believe. For again, Isaiah said, ‘He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

 

Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke of Him” (John 12:37-41).

It was after pointing out the unbelief of those to whom Jesus ministered that John mentioned these prophecies. Unbelief is most definitely a stumbling block for entering the Narrow Way.

“The honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

 

‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ and

 

‘A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense’” (1 Peter 2:7-8a).

But unbelief can significantly hinder the journeys of those who have chosen the Narrow Way. I believe it was John’s goal to highlight these prophecies to keep Believers from getting tripped up.

The Road Map

As Jesus worked His way to the Cross, His road became increasingly more difficult. Before Jesus was to endure the physical and spiritual suffering, He had to go through emotional discouragement. John stated at the beginning of his Gospel:

“[Jesus] came to His own and His own people did not receive Him” (John 1:11).

Nearing the end of His ministry, Jesus lamented:

“‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing’” (Matthew 23:27, Luke 13:34)!

Though Jesus was rejected by the very people for whom He willingly gave His all, He kept going because He had His eyes on the finish line. As we travel the Narrow Way, we will need to keep our eyes on Jesus. Remember; Jesus traveled this Road before He asked anyone to follow Him.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Founder, and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:1b-3).

Though Jesus made it perfectly clear, for some reason, we often don’t expect the Narrow Way to be as difficult as it becomes. We can get knocked off balance by the unexpected, and the difficulty of the Way even ends up derailing the faith of some.

John’s two highlighted prophecies were both recorded by the prophet Isaiah. One is found in Isaiah 6; the other in Isaiah 53. If we consider these chapters of Isaiah in light of our own journeys, we can receive encouragement as we travel along some of the most trying sections of the Narrow Way.

According to our worldly mindsets, easier is synonymous with better. Earthly roads that are named with the letter I followed by a number are interstate highways. They are wide with several lanes and travelers can move along at high speeds. Though we know the spiritual road we are traveling is far different from the roads of this world, we somehow hope we get to sail along like we can on the Interstate.

I have chosen to refer to the areas of the Narrow Way that John chose to highlight with the letter I followed by a number. Unlike our highway system, in this article, the letter I stands for Isaiah, and the number for the chapter of Isaiah’s prophesy where the words are found. By identifying these sections this way, I hope the contrast between the wide and easy and the narrow and difficult will be even more evident.

The Heights of I-6

As you travel along the Narrow Way, you should come to I-6 (that’s Isaiah 6). Let’s take a peek down this section of the road.

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

 

‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’

 

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said:

 

‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts!’

 

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said:

 

‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.’

 

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying,

 

‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’

 

Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’

 

And He said, ‘Go, and say to this people:

 

“Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.” Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’

 

Then I said, ‘How long, O Lord?’ And He said:

 

‘Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the LORD removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remains, in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled. The Holy Seed is its stump’” (Isaiah 6:1-13).

Likely, this is a familiar passage to you. You have probably read it many times, but, if you have been on the Narrow Way for any length of time, you have lived it.

You will never forget where you were when you were introduced to God, came face to face with the sin in your life, and were humbled by your great unworthiness. You can’t forget the moment you thought you would be incinerated turned out to be the exact time your sin was removed from you.

You heard the invitation of God. Out of your great appreciation for all He has done for you, you accepted His proposal to live your life serving Him. By the grace of God, you welcomed God’s call on your life. And God reached out His hand and pulled you up to Him.

You spent time fellowshipping with your King on a vast, open plain of peace you never before knew existed. As you dined on all of the rich food the Lord has placed in front of you, you looked over yonder hills and you saw His Golden Castle gleaming in the sunlight. You heard His whispers that He was taking you there.

On I-6, serving God in His grace is a joy but there is a measure of sadness at the top of this mountain. It is the unbelief of those to whom you minister that casts a dark shadow on this section of the Narrow Way. You wish for so many others to join you in worshipping and serving your Great King. You have been given a message that excites you but when you share it, it so often falls on deaf ears. Though you continually point others to Jesus, so many refuse to look to Him. Few people have any desire to obtain for themselves that which you have found.

Road Maps and Street Signs

Cartographers can make accurate and reliable maps because they measure, study, and gather information concerning the Earth’s topography. In essence, they have experienced what they draw. Isaiah can point the way for you as you travel this section of the Narrow Way because he experienced it.

Jewish tradition holds that Isaiah and King Uzziah, who is mentioned in this passage, were first cousins; their dads were thought to be brothers. God called Isaiah to deliver a message of repentance to the people of Judah but this call was primarily directed toward the rulers—Isaiah’s own family. Though Isaiah’s message was clear, it was not well-received. Even those people who were closest to him rejected him because they did not want to change.

All roads have signs to alert travelers of where they are and what is coming ahead. As you travel I-6, you may be tempted to quit sharing the message you have been given because it seems as if you are borrowing trouble and wasting your time. When that happens, look for road signs that have been set up by those who traveled the Road before you. The Apostle Paul hit a bump as he traveled this area of the Road, he put up this sign:

“Necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship” (1 Corinthians 9:16b-17).

Similarly, if you have truly experienced God along I-6, if you have heard His call and been given His commission, you won’t be able to stay silent for long. Like Paul and Isaiah, you will be compelled to share the message.

As you share your God-inspired words, pray for the Lord to open the eyes, unstop the ears, and soften the hearts of those to whom you minister so that they may respond to your message before they suffer the consequences. Keep praying that you will faithfully relay what God has given you to share. When the going gets especially tough, like Paul, ask those who are working alongside you to pray for you as well.

“[Pray] at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:18-20).

And pray for yourself that you won’t get discouraged by the resistance and the apathy of so many. You can’t make your audience believe. Isaiah couldn’t get his family to heed the Lord. Even God doesn’t force people to follow Him; He wants them to choose to believe the Truth. People have to want to believe. They have to want to see to see. They have to want to hear to hear.

“Though [Jesus] had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him” (John 12:37).

Belief is a choice. If you continue to walk in the Way the Lord is leading you, there is nothing wrong with you. You haven’t made a mistake; you are not wasting your life or being unfruitful in your calling. You will not be judged by who listens to you but by to Whom you listened. You are only a messenger. Keep relaying the message He has given you. Leave the results up to Him. In doing so, you will be leaving road signs for those who come after you.

Continuing Along the Difficult Way

After you have successfully traversed I-6, accepted the challenges, and experienced the joys that are found there, you have experienced God in a way many others have not. You know God is faithful and God is good. But God also knows something about you; He knows you are ready for something more arduous. The I-53 (that’s Isaiah 53) section of the Narrow Way is quite different and altogether more difficult than the I-6. But to be all God called you to be, you must travel this portion of the Road as well.

The map of I-53, as detailed by the cartographer, Isaiah, looks like this:

“Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

 

For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him.

 

He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as One from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

 

Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

 

But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds, we are healed.

 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

 

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.

 

By oppression and judgment, He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of My people?

 

And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth.

 

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

 

Out of the anguish of His soul, He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My Servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities.

 

Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors, yet He bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:1-12).

Even if you have never studied this passage of Scripture, you undoubtedly can see, with just a casual reading, the many pictures of Christ contained within. You know Christ faithfully journeyed through this section of the Way. But have you ever considered that God requires you to travel down this same Road?

Enduring some kind of pain while traveling along I-53 is a familiar experience to many ministers of Christ. Though it is not something we like to talk about, suffering is part of the Christian package. Pain is the prerequisite for glory.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:16-17).

According to Jewish history, King Manasseh had Isaiah tortuously sawn in two with a wooden saw. And you know what happened to Jesus. Likely, your suffering on I-53 won’t be that drastic, but some extreme difficulty should be expected.

 The Depths of I-53

Before you, many others have been led by the Lord into the depths of the I-53 portion of the Narrow Way. More often than not what they have experienced has been a shock to them. Though no two experiences are exactly alike, those who have traveled through it have identified this part of the Way as the most challenging and disheartening time of their lives. I-53 is a Road marked by confusion, helplessness, and a sense of withdrawal from God’s presence. When David passed along this Way, he poured out his heart to God and posted these signs:

“‘How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?  How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

 

Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken’” (Psalm 13:1-4).

 

“‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer and by night, but I find no rest.

 

Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In You, our fathers trusted; they trusted, and You delivered them. To You they cried and were rescued; in You, they trusted and were not put to shame.

 

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; ‘He trusts in the LORD; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, for he delights in Him!’

 

Yet You are He who took me from the womb; You made me trust You at my mother’s breasts. On You was I cast from my birth, and from my mother’s womb, You have been my God. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help …

 

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

 

For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

 

But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O You my Help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion’” (Psalm 22:1-11, 14-21a)!

If what David explained in these two psalms resonates with you—this seeming abandonment, even rejection from God, after having known Him in such a deeply intimate and passionate way—you have likely experienced what has been termed, the Dark Night of the Soul.

For some, the Dark Night of the Soul lasts for a few days. For others, it goes on for years. Some never see a glimpse of light the entire time they traverse 1-53. Others seem to go in and out of the heavy fog, having times of enlightenment before being plunged again into darkness. It seems as if the experience is individually tailored to each traveler.

It is on I-53, during the Dark Night of the Soul, that our own unbelief can hinder our progress down the Narrow Way. Overcoming unbelief is one of the primary purposes for God leading His loved ones through the difficulty of this section of the Road. God doesn’t lead us down this Way just to put us through much unnecessary pain. God has a beautiful purpose for taking us down this area of the Difficult Path.

Hidden Treasure

When Jesus walked along I-53, He stopped at David’s Psalm 22 signpost. Jesus crossed out all the lowercase me-s, my-s, he-s, and him-s, and replaced them with capital letters.

“Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me’” (Matthew 27:45-46)?

It wasn’t for no purpose that David traveled this section of the Road. David put up his sign not only to encourage future travelers. David experienced the Dark Night of the Soul and wrote about it in Psalm 22 to direct attention to The Traveler. When Jesus, from the Cross, called out that first verse of Psalm 22, He put meaning to David’s suffering. Jesus was saying, “Look at Psalm 22. I am the Suffering Savior. I was abandoned so you could be approved. I was deserted so that you could be delivered. I was wounded so you could be healed. I was tormented that you might find peace. I died yet I will live and give My life to you. The reward for My suffering is you. Will you not trust Me enough to follow Me down this difficult Road? Your pain will also result in gain.”

Those who have traveled I-53 have serendipitously discovered priceless riches along the Way. They have found that the difficulty of the Way led to the purification of their souls. Pride was dashed and humility was discovered. Sin was forsaken and righteousness was found. Selfishness was left along the Way and Christlikeness was picked up. That which kept them from becoming all God had intended for them was annihilated. Personal revival was gained and a refined purpose was realized.

Your Journey

By leading you down I-53, God does not intend to destroy you but He does want to dismantle and rebuild you. It is for your good, God’s glory, and the good of others that you travel along I-53. As you walk this Path, you will come to resemble Jesus more clearly. Because of what you experience along the Way, you will be more effective in ministry. On this section of the Road, you will discover that for which you were created. You will be given a gift that could not be received in any other way. Traveling along I-53 will produce much healthy fruit in your life.

Your faith will be tested along the Narrow Way but you will overcome and know that seeing God comes after believing Him. Your feelings will no longer guide your faith. Truth will become your focus no matter your experience.

Because you traveled this Path, your estimation of yourself and your abilities will be tempered. You will realize you are no more special than any of God’s other children. You will be done seeking the approval of those around you. You can now be satisfied solely with God’s estimation of you.

Your time in the dark will help you see things in a new light. Because your efforts to sacrifice and save have been misjudged and have been unappreciated by those whom you have served, you will now have a greater appreciation for what Jesus did for you.

Traveling along I-53 will humble you. You will realize your fallibility. You will see the need to repent of your pride and unbelief. After all this, you will know it is only by God’s mercy that you have not fallen into grosser sin.

Passing through this difficult section of the Way will silence you. You will no longer need to demand your rights. You will realize you deserve no special treatment, yet, in Christ, you have an abundance. You will no longer wish to defend yourself. You can now trust God to defend you as He sees fit.

The darkness, your eyes will be trained to see into the future. You will know your suffering has been purposeful. Without your time on I-53, you would have been fairly useless in God’s Kingdom. Now, you will know it is only God’s Power working through you that will make any difference in this world. And now, you will be an actual threat to the enemy’s kingdom.

On the I-53 section of the Narrow Way, you walk in the footsteps of Your Savior. You may not feel His presence but He is always nearby. That gleaming Golden Castle is getting closer with every step. And Christ is preparing you to enter His Holy Abode the whole time. Jesus is bringing hope into what seems hopeless. He is birthing new life into what appears to be dead. What you feel is lost will be found again and it will be more greatly treasured than ever before.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

I-53 eventually comes to an end. Hallelujah! Don’t get so focused on the suffering that you miss what is at the end of the road.

“When His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

 

Out of the anguish of His soul, He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the Righteous One, My Servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities.

 

Therefore, I will divide Him a portion with the many, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong because He poured out His soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors, yet He bore the sin of many and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:10b-12).

When a ray of light shone upon his Path, David erected this sign:

“But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD     because He has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:5-6).

And as he finished this section of the journey, David posted this:

“You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! I will tell of Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation, I will praise You: You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify Him and stand in awe of Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and He has not hidden His face from him but has heard when he cried to Him.

 

From You comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear Him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek Him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For Kingship belongs to the LORD, and He rules over the nations.

 

All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before Him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive. Posterity shall serve Him; it shall be told of the LORD to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, that He has done it’” (Psalm 22:21b-31).

Traveling I-53 refined David’s calling. After his journey, he knew his purpose. David discovered he was created to praise God and lead others in the worship of Him. You cannot lead others where you have not already gone. If you have experienced the Heights of I-6, you know the joys of spending time with the Lord. But that experience has not been solely for you; you know Jesus so you can encourage others who have the desire to come to know His as well. Wherever you are currently on the Road, you will someday realize you have traversed the Depths of I-53, have encountered that deep darkness, and come out on the other side. You will treasure the experience because of who you have become. But that experience will not have been only for personal gain; you have walked the Path so you can assure others that the difficulty of the Narrow Way is worth the trouble. You can encourage others to keep going when the going gets tough because there is a prize worth obtaining at the end of the Road. Once you have seen His glory, you, like Isaiah, won’t be able to stop speaking of Him.

Listen closely and you will hear Isaiah, John, Paul, David, Jesus, and a myriad others cheering you down the Narrow Way, “Keep going; it is worth it!”

 

 

1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

2 NR Johnson’s website: https://deeperchristian.com/; NR Johnson’s books: Saturation Bible Study https://www.amazon.com/s?k=NR+Johnson&crid=2YJ930NFDBJ3N&sprefix=nr+johnson%2Caps%2C203&ref=nb_sb_noss_1; Thirty Day Adventure to Know Jesus More  https://www.amazon.com/Day-Adventure-Know-Jesus-More/dp/195354908X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LF0QC0ZQU84H&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.klbXy4VKgxGOXIPr153CWaGVF0L9vTUrrSQRUeQTBnpSO9fuinquqt-iRDg2-6_Wx8qNKQ4LrrbWYmiLRby1ulitNNLKa5X9l53yrLGYgOFuVBdOjHH90DCCT_Uc4IZRXhJeN6KVFv_mi_ksO4lTEWkXD2rlD4qOmiSQwvW9-nVrLmz335vF0gsOmN0uvA37fNF7erIEK3EeZtdXRED6NAJlWybp6sPjXsaycpwRa6A.sbd7CzcRT0pX5i0p8Uc8fMM071hLiYvQ6s37kn0HpLQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=nathan+johnson&qid=1714348547&sprefix=nathan+johnson%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-1; Knowing Jesus: Moving Past Academics to Intimacy https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-Jesus-Moving-Academics-Intimacy/dp/069237907X/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2LF0QC0ZQU84H&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.klbXy4VKgxGOXIPr153CWaGVF0L9vTUrrSQRUeQTBnpSO9fuinquqt-iRDg2-6_Wx8qNKQ4LrrbWYmiLRby1ulitNNLKa5X9l53yrLGYgOFuVBdOjHH90DCCT_Uc4IZRXhJeN6KVFv_mi_ksO4lTEWkXD2rlD4qOmiSQwvW9-nVrLmz335vF0gsOmN0uvA37fNF7erIEK3EeZtdXRED6NAJlWybp6sPjXsaycpwRa6A.sbd7CzcRT0pX5i0p8Uc8fMM071hLiYvQ6s37kn0HpLQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=nathan+johnson&qid=1714348775&sprefix=nathan+johnson%2Caps%2C210&sr=8-2

3 To read my commentary on this event, check out: https://blueturtletrails.com/a-little-encouragement-here-please/

4 To read my commentary on this event, check out: https://blueturtletrails.com/so-much-confusion/