““You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.”
Matthew 7:13-14 NLT
A story my father liked to tell involved two very different men coming to the banks of “chilly Jordan” (death).
One man had been very prosperous in life and had attained great riches. He had lived a life of pleasure and power. Even now as he faced death, he held tightly to his great riches. As he stepped into the waters of death, going deeper and deeper, he came to a place where he could no longer hold his head out of the water. Now those riches that had proffered him ease in this life, became like an anchor, holding him under. He could not cross over into eternal life. His end was destruction.
Now, there was another man who had lived his life for the Lord. He had picked up his cross and was even now carrying it faithfully. Wherever he went, the cross was with him acting as a burden as he tried to navigate the challenges of his life. He experienced many rejections because of the load he would not lay down. Now, he too has come to the banks of chilly Jordan. He begins to walk into the water, still dragging the cross with him, refusing to let it go. But, when he got to where he could no longer keep his head out of the water, suddenly, the cross that had been a burden, now begin to float on top of the water. Now he was no longer dragging the cross. Rather, it had become a life-raft on which he clung as he floated over into eternal life.
I remember hearing this story when I was very young; and I knew—even then—that I did not want to be like that man who clung to his riches and was destroyed.
Of course, this story brings to mind the inescapable choice Jesus presented to His disciples.
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?”
Matthew 16:24-26 NLT
In no uncertain terms, the Lord made it clear that the only thing we should cling to, is our cross. Failure to do so, causes us to forfeit eternal life.
Jacob had spent years wandering from one place to another. At one point, God called him to go back to Bethel, back to the place where he and the Lord had exchanged vows.
However, there was one problem with going back to Bethel. The people had adopted heathen ways and had entered into idolatry. So, before going back to the place where they would find rest, they had to divest of all their worldly ways.
“Then God said to Jacob, “Get ready and move to Bethel and settle there. Build an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother, Esau.” So Jacob told everyone in his household, “Get rid of all your pagan idols, purify yourselves, and put on clean clothing. We are now going to Bethel, where I will build an altar to the God who answered my prayers when I was in distress. He has been with me wherever I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all their pagan idols and earrings, and he buried them under the great tree near Shechem.”
Genesis 35:1-4 NLT
In our opening scripture we again see Jesus presenting a clear and inevitable choice.
Many people follow their own way, clinging to their own stuff. Therefore, the road they can access leads to destruction.
But those who are willing to divest and go alone to follow the Lord, will be able to access the narrow way that leads to eternal life.
Child of God, eternity is a long time to forfeit just to hold onto some temporal stuff now.
The narrow way that leads to eternal life reminds me of a natural attraction in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, called “Fat Man’s Squeeze.” Here, the walking path comes to two very large rock formations between which is a narrow way to walk. Now, I imagine the name tells you everything you need to know about whether or not it’s a path you could access.
Whereas the trail that comes to “Fat Man’s Squeeze” can be avoided with an alternate path going the same way, the narrow path on the road to following Jesus, has no detour.
Let’s lay aside anything that keeps us from being able to fit into the narrow way of following our Lord. Clinging to the things of this world, costs dearly.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
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