When I was little, my dad used to tell me that the tiny gate within our home’s main gate is a special door just for me. I love that I could go inside our house using this special gateway that fits my tiny self. Adults that try to go in using my “personal gate” would have to bend down their heads and lift their legs much higher, just to fit in. This is of course in contrast with our real, big gate where adults could just freely walk in once it is open.
As followers of Jesus, we are to pursue the narrow gate that leads to our forever life with Jesus. Like the wicket or the tiny gate described above, the Narrow Gate our Messiah is referring to is not as easy to access, but it leads to the best life we ought to live.
So what does this mean to us present-day Christians? Well, it means choosing the path that Jesus is traversing. Choosing to walk in His ways. As we all know, following Jesus is not always easy, it requires sacrifices, change of mindset, discipline, and conditioning of the mind.
For instance, it is not always easy to forgive others who have intentionally betrayed us. But as followers of Jesus, we are being called to forgive even if the ones who hurt us are not asking for our forgiveness.
But when we do as Christ asks us to do, we find that the forgiveness He commands us to give, ultimately benefits us. When we pardon those who hurt us, we will no longer have bitterness and anger in our hearts. We will also have peace knowing we have been merciful to others just as God had been merciful to us too.
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Mark 8:34
Time and again, we hear a famous Jesus quote that says “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14:6). When we choose to believe this truth in our hearts, we will understand that in choosing Jesus and His ways, we will be set free, and we will get to enjoy the abundant life that he offers.
Yes, there is difficulty. Yes, there will be a lot of swallowing of pride. Yes, it constrains us to bow in humility even to those who look down on us or hurt us, but in the end, choosing the narrow gate to be with the Lord, is all worth it. Our obedience to Him, will lead us to the best life we can live here on Earth, and the perfect one we will get to live in eternity.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on John 14:1-7 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: What choices are before you today? Are the difficult ones leading you to Jesus?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, we make decisions every single day. We thank you that you assure us that for every difficult, God-honoring choice that we make, we can tap on your strength to power us through the consequences of these choices. Please give us the grace to continue choosing your ways, Amen.
