If
you decide to
take this path,
here are some of
the things you
may find
difficult. Other
people may not
understand and
may ridicule
you. The road is
not only narrow,
but it winds
around and you
can’t see very
far ahead, you
don’t know
what’s up there.
It goes uphill;
sometimes you go
through water or
fire; you may
encounter a
snake on the
path; or a lion
roaming around,
trying to devour
you. As you get
further along on
this path, you
realize that it
gets narrower
and you
continually have
to lay things
down and leave
them behind. The
odd thing is as
you lay things
down and leave
them; you
acquire
different things
in their place.
Lay down
impatience, you
acquire
patience; lay
down pride, you
get humbleness
and meekness;
lay down
control, you get
peace and joy;
lay down
judgmental
thinking, and
acquire
acceptance and
gentleness.
There is a
process of
restoration,
healing and
redemption that
occurs on this
path. The new
things you
acquire are easy
and light to
carry not a
burden. There’re
many places to
rest, you’re
never alone
Jesus walks with
you, the Holy
Spirit empowers
you and God
watches over
you. There is
safety here and
no worry, and
most of all you
are loved.
The biggest
difference in
these two paths
is where you end
up. The wide
path brings you
to destruction
and the narrow
brings you to
life. It is your
choice--choose
life!
August 8, 2001
“Enter through
the narrow gate;
for wide is the
gate and
spacious and
broad is the way
that leads away
to destruction,
and many are
those who are
entering through
it. But the gate
is narrow
(contracted by
pressure) and
the way is
straightened and
compressed that
leads away to
life, and few
are those who
find it. Matthew
7:13-14
“I
call heaven and
earth to witness
this day against
you that I have
set before you
life and death,
the blessings
and the curses;
therefore choose
life that you
and your
descendants may
live.”
Deuteronomy
30:19
“And to this
people you
(Jeremiah) shall
say, Thus says
the Lord:
Behold, I set
before you the
way of life and
the way of
death.” Jeremiah
21:8
The Christian
life is compared
to entering a
narrow gate and
walking down a
narrow path
rather than the
wide gate that
leads to the
spacious and
broad path. The
narrow path
leads to life
and the spacious
path leads to
destruction.
There are many
that enter
through the
wide, but few
that enter the
narrow.
I believe most people don’t find the narrow gate because they aren’t really seeking it. (“...If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] you will find Him...” 1 Chronicles 28:9) People look for easy ways to get through life. The wide gate is easy to see, there are crowds going through that gate, it’s where most of our friends are. The wide gate and the spacious path are great, we can carry all of our “stuff” with us on that path, and we don’t need to lay anything down. It feels comfortable, we can bring our luxuries with us, we can stop anytime we want to and for as long as we want to, there is no one to prompt us along on our journey. There is an element of control for the people on this path, it’s “every man for himself”, it’s okay to wear a mask and people aren’t expected to be accountable or responsible. To some this feels free!
I’m on the
narrow path and
it’s different.
I had to look
for it to find
it, and I really
had to choose
this is the way
I wanted to go.
The first thing
I noticed about
the gate and the
path is there’s
not much room
for baggage; I
needed to lay
down some of
my “stuff” at
the entrance.
This path may
not be real
comfortable, it
is a difficult
path, I may
fall, slip or
slide, but the
best part about
it is there’s
always someone
to help me up.
This path is not
real crowded,
but I found
helpful people
and fellowship.