DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- DIFFICULT IS THE WAY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – DIFFICULT IS THE WAY

" 'Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.' "  (Matthew 7:13-14)

I don't want to be a pessimist, but I must be a realist.  I am not the one who said, "Difficult is the way."  Those are the words of the Lord Jesus.

For some, the way is too difficult – the cost too great.  Jesus met a rich man who wanted to know how to get to heaven.  When Jesus said that he had to take up his cross and follow Him, the man turned and went away.  The cost of following Jesus to heaven was just too great (Mark 10:21-22),

There are some who teach that accepting Christ as Savior will solve all your problems and make life easy.  But it just ain't so.  Try to convince the Apostle Paul that being a Christian is easy.  By his own testimony, he received stripes above measure, beaten with rods, stoned, lived in various dangers, frequently put in prison, and often faced death (II Corinthians 11:23-27).  Does that sound like an easy life? Yet, whether in the good times or the bad times,  Paul could say, "I have learned in whatever state I am to be content" (Philippians 4:11). Thankfully, most of us don't suffer what Paul endured, but when we are tempted to whine and complain when things don't go the way we want, we can look at his experiences and know that God's grace is sufficient to take us through.  

The gate to eternal life is narrow because Jesus is the only way to heaven. Some think the way is too difficult and the cost too great, so they turn away.  It is not the way most people want to walk, but He is there walking with us.  There's an old gospel song that says:  If Jesus goes with me I'll go, anywhere.  Tis heaven to me where e'er I may be if He is there.  I count it a privilege here, His cross to bear.  If Jesus goes with me I'll go, anywhere."  That is a commitment, even when our path is difficult. 

Love, Dad