Bible Text: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road leads to destruction and there are many who take it. For the road is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it”. Matthew 7. 6,12-14
Each one of has a goal to achieve whatever stage or status we have in life. Just like me, aside from holiness that I have to pursue, I always want to be in good shape. I want to be free from any medication at least when I reach the age of sixty. It is not an easy way at all. First I have to eat healthy foods all the time. Now I am practicing intermittent diet to be free from bad cholesterol and high blood sugar. I have to run every day. I am greatly motivated by my personal mantra “no pain, no gain”. It requires self discipline and a lot of sacrifice from mouth watery food and maintains regular work out. One thing I observe is that why is it that healthy food are not good to eat. Have you noticed it?
First of all, human salvation is a gift from God. No amount of human effort can bring us salvation. We cannot demand from God to give us life as compensation for the righteousness that we have lived. It is freely given by God. However, we have to do our part for a gift is not a gift unless it is given by God. It is offered by God but we have to personally decide to accept it. This is the very meaning of Jesus words in the gospel, to enter the narrow road that leads to life. Human experience tells us that easy life is not good at all. Enjoying at all worldly pleasure has temporary pleasure but often leads to loneliness, emptiness, isolation and fear. This is the destruction that Jesus tells us and of course many had fallen to this trap and many had already realized how bad it is when we indulged ourselves extremely to the world. There is another road but it is less travelled but leads to life, lasting happiness and peace. This is the way of Jesus. This particular way requires determination, sacrifices, devotion and faith. It required determination because we have to love until it hurts. It demands sacrifice because we have to give until we have nothing to give. It requires faith because we have to be obedient even in the midst of uncertainties. People would oftentimes ridicule the church. That’s crazy. However, even here on earth we can already experience that the fruit of all these is life.
This is hard that is why we need God in our life. We need His guidance and inspiration.