December 15, 2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1.27)

“Enter through the narrow gate because the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction. Sadly, many enter through it, journey on it and find the sorrow of their venture.  But it does not have to be so with you. Do not fear the gate that is small and the road that is narrow which leads to the life that is abundant and eternal in its blessing. Sadly, only a few may find it, but oh that more so would and be at peace.” (Matthew 7.13-14)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Life is filled with choices. Even God is not exempt from making choices. He did, after all, choose to create the heavens and the earth instead of leaving it all to chaos. He chose to include human beings in that creation in order that peace and order may be the offspring of so great a love as God is. He chose not to obliterate evil when Lucifer lead his insurrection against God and the heavenly hosts but extend the witness of His people to speak against that which is evil. He chose to sacrifice that which was most dear to Him for our sake instead of letting the brokenness of humanity spiral into oblivion. He chooses still to give mercy and grace to the world believing that many will receive it and find their place within the righteousness of God. He chose to give us the gift of freewill so that we might know of His great love and choose love over hate, peace over chaos, joy over bitterness and life over death, trust over self-determination. And all those choices seem to many to limit the options available in life. That mentality of “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” has a power to influence people because it blends them to the green pastures, still waters and the gentleness of the Shepherd’s hand. It is that hand which guides them on the paths of righteousness for the sake of the name of God. It leads them through the valleys of the shadow of death which are a part of God’s creation in order to see and appreciate what God has done and considers doing for us in the midst of our trouble. It shows us the way to the very house of the Lord to dwell in the most majestic sheepfold ever built. But it shows us that we must embrace the truth of following over leading. With that we can benefit from the appreciation of leading by following. Even Jesus of Nazareth walked the narrow road and passed through the narrow gate so that we might know of, see and be determined to walk in “the way, the truth and the life.” 

While He is our shepherd in this world leading us to the next, He was a sheep like us in the eyes of God. He led by following God’s word and will; God’s way and truth and life. While such a journey was filled and sometimes fraught with many options of this way or that, there was but one way and one gate which leads to what the soul truly desires. Jesus longed to be again with His Father in Heaven. Such a life was different from the one He led on earth. God was never far from Him. God was always near to Him. Indeed, God was with Him and in Him and through Him into all the world. Our soul, whether many would agree they have one or not, longs to be with God as the source and sustenance of its existence. The soul is the dwelling place of the Spirit of God in us. The blessing of the Spirit of Christ which comes upon us stands at the door of our heart and soul and knocks. It longs for that sweet communion of reunion, reconciliation and restoration. It is an anathema to Satan himself whose longing is to be free of God and not just free from God. Satan desires that there be no God before him. This is why he hated to be before the Lord. It is sad and true, that which he desires the most to escape which ultimately be his fate. On the day when Christ shall appear in the heavens to all the earth every knee will bow on earth, under the earth and above it and declare that Jesus is indeed the Lord of all. God will come before Satan and Satan will come before God in the presence of Jesus the Christ. It is inescapable because it is the undeniable way, truth and life for us all. But Jesus longed to be with His Father. He knew His ministry on earth was the path back home. He longs for us to take that journey with Him. We shall if we believe in Him, on Him and with Him enough to accept the narrow gate and the narrow road beyond it. Only one can pass through it and walk on it at a time. Many may go through it and on it in time but in single file with patience, hope and faith trusting in God the whole of the way.

It is narrow because the chances of getting lost are eliminated. Satan, the great illusionist, will cast temptations before us. His hope is to convince there are other ways, other gates, other lifestyles, other choices which enhance and not deter our soul’s greatest desire. And in my spirit I see a place at the end of the broad road through a wide gate where that desire will never be satisfied. In that place, all the options to sate the hungering and thirsting will no longer be available. It is a lie that Hell will be the enhancement of this broken world and the feast of indulgence will always be a table of never-ending fullness. It is a place of torment for those who will dwell in it. Even Satan will experience the torment of such a place because there will no longer be those to dupe, confess and entice into the darkness. The innocence will be lost. The truth will be fully exposed as undeniable but still acceptable. So defiled is that life where the soul is consumed in the darkness and the agony of such despair which no one reach and provide aid and comfort.

Is that the choice we desire to offer as acceptable, the fruit of an entitlement generation and the soul’s satisfaction of freedom which is truly not free? Mighty ones of God in Jesus the Christ, we must speak the truth in love. We must lead others by following the lead of the Lamb of God who is our Great Shepherd. Enter through the narrow gate which preserves life and follow the narrow road that leads to true freedom, joy and fulfillment!

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain this eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.