This illustration was developed by some Navigator missionaries in Korea back in the mid 1900s. It shows the simplicity of entering a relationship with God. It shows that anyone can take this step of faith in a journey for life.
This illustration is also easy to follow. Start with ‘1,’ to the left hand of the diagram, for you too may be wanting to reach out to God. Read the verses and move onto ‘2.’ And if you would like, take the time look up the full Bible verses, or you can read them below. The version is the NLT (New Living Translation).
Step 1 – You may want to reach out to God, but no matter how hard you try, there is a chasm between you and God. Here are the Bible verses:
- We do things wrong – ‘For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard’ (Romans 3:23).
- We feel guilt – ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 6:23).
- The consequences weigh heavy on us – ‘And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment’ (Hebrews 9:27).
- Luke 15:11-32 (if you are able, find a Bible to read this parable about a lost son, or you can read it online.)
Step 2 – A wonderful God wants a relationship. He wants people to experience… Here are the Bible verses:
- Life to the full – ‘The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life’ (John 10:10).
- Love – ‘God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him’ (1 John 4:9).
- Acceptance – However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them’ (John 6:37).
- Freedom – ‘So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law’ (Galatians 5:1).
- Family – ‘God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure’ (Ephesians 1:5).
Step 3 – God solved the problem. He sent Jesus to bridge the gap. Jesus takes on our hurts and wrongs and he brings us to God. Here is the Bible verse:
- ‘But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners’ (Romans 5:8).
Step 4 – If we believe, we can have a relationship with God. We can cross over from one side to the other. Here is the Bible verse:
- ‘For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16).
A Prayer:
If everything that you have read touches your heart, you too might like to begin a relationship with God. Here is a prayer you might like to pray. It starts with saying sorry:
- Dear Jesus, I have been living life the way I want, totally apart from you. I am so sorry. I know that you died so that I can be forgiven of everything I have done wrong. Please forgive me. Please come into my life and help me live as you want. Be my Rescuer, my King and my closest friend all the days of my life. Amen.
If you prayed that prayer – congratulations! Here is what you might like to do next…
- Contact the Navigators to let us know.
- Read your Bible. A good place to start is the Gospel of Luke.
- Find a church to attend.
- Start making friends with others who have faith.