Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult is the road that leads to life and few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 CSB
Being a Christian is not an easy task. It’s a lifelong commitment to honoring God and praising God in all you do. The devil is right there trying to trip you up the whole way (1 Peter 5:8). There are many passages in the Bible where we are told to love God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. We are to be totally committed and we are to dedicate our lives to Christ. Ephesians 5:1 tells us that we are to be imitators of Christ.
I can’t help but think about the movie, Vacation. In this movie the Griswold family set out to travel from their home in Chicago to Wally World amusement park. They are presented with numerous challenges along the way, but Clark, the family patriarch has a grim determination to get his family to Wally World. He is not going to let any obstacle get in his way. Spoiler alert: Even when they finally arrive at the park to find it is closed for renovation, Clark is insistent that his family enjoy this amusement park.
Our Christian lives are like this. We will experience highs and lows and many obstacles along the way. We start out through a wide gate on a broad road that is easy to travel. We must make the commitment to go through the narrow gate and travel the difficult road. The broad road leads to destruction and the narrow road leads to life.
Often times we get “saved” or make a public profession of faith and are baptized as the result of an emotional experience. Perhaps we feel as though our loved ones or our church members expect this of us. Perhaps we have attended an event such as a revival, a retreat, a church camp, a Vacation Bible school and we see others going up front and feel that we should too.
If this is an emotional decision and not a call from the Holy Spirit, I can tell you it will impossible to stay the course when the road becomes difficult to travel. But, if you have drawn near to God and He has drawn near to you (James 4:8) and you have felt the call of the Holy Spirit, God will fill you with His Holy Spirit to help you navigate that narrow, often times treacherous road.
It’s sad to see those who walk up in front of the church and dedicate their lives to Christ abort their mission. It’s sad to see them experience improvements and life changes, but then fall off course because of hardship. I have experienced life both ways.
I was baptized around 12. I grew up in church, I loved the Lord, I knew what I was doing. I did well for many years, but then the road got really narrow and really rough and I aborted the mission. I chose the wide gate and broad road and I was headed for destruction. I know I’m not alone because I see it all the time. People walk the aisle, commit their lives to the Lord, get baptized and you never see them at church again. Or, they get involved in church, but experience hard times and give up.
It’s really important that we understand that God never promised us a rose garden here on earth. Sin took that away in Genesis chapter three. Nowhere in the Bible does it say follow me and I will lead you through this beautiful terrain and your life will be a piece of cake. Actually Jesus tells us it’s a hard road to travel. We will endure persecution for His name’s sake (John 15:20). Jesus tells us how to handle this in Matthew 5:44, “But, I tell you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,”
If you signed up to be a Christian thinking that it would be a walk in the park, you will soon find that it is more like a walk in the jungle or the swamp. There are dangers and pitfalls everywhere. But, when we walk through the fire and the flood, and through the jungle or the swamp, God is right there with us. He is there to protect us and provide for us. He will strengthen us (Philippians 4:13) so that we can complete our mission.
Have you started your mission and aborted it when the devil came against you? It’s not to late, you can start over again. You can stay the course and finish strong with God’s help. Turn to Him and trust in Him today.
Have a great day!