“Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
My words…
Praise
There are so many passages of scripture that fill me with joy. This is not one of them. The joy I experience pondering the road that leads to life is tempered by the fact that few find it. Few find it because few search for it. How tragic. From the very beginning, You knew this would be the case, yet you never altered the eternal plan to send Your Son to die. And, Jesus, You died for the few, willingly.
Prayer for Me
Because the narrow gate is, well, narrow, I cannot expect to enter through it with my backpack filled with good works. It won’t fit. I could say, “Look at all the cool things I’ve done for others! Hey, I write a prayer blog.” I would then be lumped in with the folks you refer to in Matthew 7:22 who were shocked they were denied entrance even though they had some pretty amazing things in their backpacks: They could prophesy, drive out demons, and perform miracles. It isn’t what I’ve done for You. It’s what You have done for me. It isn’t who I am. It’s whose I am. Jesus, You are the gate. I must go through You to get onto the path that leads to Your Father and all He has in store for me (the joy and the suffering). I go through You just as I am: a sinful, contrite, surrendered soul, totally dependent on Your love and grace. I searched for You, and I found You (searching for me). Give me the strength to walk worthy of Your sacrifice, and forgive me when I hoist that backpack of works.
Prayer for others
The ironic thing about this passage is that so many people on earth know who You are. If I were to say to most anyone, “Name the Son of God who was crucified and rose on the third day,” most would answer Jesus. But knowing who You are and surrendering to You as their Lord is the difference between the broad and narrow ways. There are two and only two choices for us to make. One leads to life, the other to destruction. Today, I pray for every soul on the road to destruction. They do not possess the desire to search for You, to search for their Creator and Savior. Some believe the narrow way is traveled by the narrow-minded. Others believe the way to life is no life at all: too many “do nots.” I trust You, Holy Spirit, to do what You do best: Transform.
More Praise
Walking the narrow path with You as my Light is not always easy. I still stumble, but I don’t stumble alone. You are there. And so are the other precious FEW.
