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We recently purchased a little gadget for our cats. It is a wand with a red laser beam. You can wave it and a small red dot dances across the floor, up the walls and around the furniture. The cats dash about, pawing at the little bright light. They cannot figure out why they cannot grasp it. Try as they might, it slips through their claws. The elusive little red dot that catches their eye, soon becomes too frustrating to chase anymore, or they just poop out from trying so hard.

I think that describes a great many people’s experience with religion. It is too elusive, too hard to grasp. At first, they are attracted to the brightness, the newness. But it requires too much effort.  The concepts slip through their fingers. Try as they might, they just poop out from trying so hard – trying so hard to be perfect, or to be good enough to be able to commune with God, or trying to change to become a better person. So they try a different brand of religion, but the same thing happens. Too many rules, too hard to do.

But is that what Christ requires? No. What He requires is that we follow Him. We do not have to be perfect or chase after happiness. We do not have to be good enough to get in God’s favor. That is what is elusive – there is no way we can. But the truth is this – Christ has done that for us. The gift is there within our reach. We just need to grasp it.

Scripture tells us after the crowds, who mainly came to be healed, heard Jesus’ teachings, they went away. They did not understand what Christ was offering – it was Himself.

“From this time, many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. ‘You do not want to leave, too do you?’ Jesus asked the Twelve.” (John 6:66-67, NIV)

Too many people just do not realize that true happiness does not have to be an elusive dream. However, it does require effort on their part. Jesus came to save us, to bring the Light to the world, but it is up to us to respond. We have to reach out to the Light and take it into our hearts.

Unlike our cats with the toy, the Good News is that we do not have to chase after godliness and happiness all of our lives and possibly never get it. It is attainable. God presents it to us through His Son. Salvation through Christ is solid. It will not slip through our fingers. It is the one true thing we can hold fast to.

Simon Peter got it right. He simply replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (vs. 68).

Question: Have you felt you were chasing after happiness, yet it seemed just out of reach?

About the Author: Julie Cosgrove