Traffic Jam
Living in the Houston area is quite different from the Hill Country. If you get on a particular road at a certain time, you can spend hours on the interstate. We had been to see our daughter on the other side of Houston, and as we left for home, we inched along in traffic for over two hours. A drive that usually takes less than an hour.
Also, there are traffic lights everywhere! We live about eight miles from the church building and pass 16 lights (a lot of them are red, I might add). We have found a shorter way to go and only have about 10 lights. Driving here is much different from being in Cherokee.
As I thought about this, some verses of Scripture came to mind. Jesus was speaking to the crowds in Matthew 7 and in verses 13-14 stated, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (NASB) In these verses, Jesus talks about two gates. One is wide, and the other is narrow. He also speaks of two ways. One is broad, the other is narrow. The wide gate and the broad way are heavily traveled. Jesus told us many people enter through that gate. The small gate is one that leads to life. It is not traveled as much as the wide gate. Only a few people find that way and that gate.
We live in a world where people give lip service to Jesus but fail to actually follow Him on a daily basis. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 that we are to take up our cross “daily” and follow Him. We don’t just follow Him when it is convenient. We don’t just follow Him when it pleases us. We do this every day, aware that He is Lord and Savior and we are His servants.
This narrow gate is the one we need to be headed for. Sadly, Satan has deceived many people into following him to the wide gate. Paul would tell the church in Rome, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
Each one of us has a choice to make. We get to choose the way and the gate we are headed for. We can surrender our lives to Christ and follow Him, or we can be conformed to this world and follow Satan. We can’t have it both ways.
So, which way are you headed? You must choose wisely or be lost.