Luke – Doors Wide Open
My dad used to often say in conversations of judgement of others, “We all might be surprised who we see in heaven. We might be surprised at who isn’t there and surprised at who makes it through the door.” In other words, don’t judge. Only Jesus decides because He knows and sees our hearts.
The doors to God’s salvation through Jesus Christ is wide open to all who believe, accept and turn from evil to follow Jesus. But to those who only are impressed with Jesus and continue to live like the rest of the world will be shut out in the end. The “narrow” door or the “narrow” road are both great illustrations of how hard it is to be completely committed with our hearts, minds and souls. But this is exactly what God is looking for. “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT
It is easy to say yes to the King of kings but it is not easy to make the complete U-turn to follow Him in all circumstances. It is going in a different direction than the rest of the world who do not believe and want to continue in their selfish, do it my way, attitudes and beliefs. It is counter to culture. It is swimming upstream while the rest go with the flow. Because it is hard, the Lord, as it states in 2 Chronicles, provides help and power to fulfill His purpose in us that was decided before we were born. This power and help is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is as close as your prayer, submission and humility.
As Jesus “presses on” to fulfill His mission to save us in Jerusalem, he seeks out the lost along the way. He wants people to know what God’s Kingdom looks like, who God is, and why a holy relationship with God is so important to life. Many follow because he is a compassionate healer. But Jesus is so much more…He is our Savior. Only a few, true disciples “get it” but those few are given power to preach and tell His story of salvation. Those few are the reason we are still talking about Jesus today.
The narrow door is the final passage to God’s Kingdom. If you did not believe or follow in this life, then the door will be closed to us in the next life. It is a pretty simple explanation. It brings us to only two choices. Follow Jesus into Life abundant and forever…or not. Luke 13, New Living Translation
The Narrow Door
22 Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?”
He replied, 24 “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25 When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.’28 “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. 29 And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. 30 And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”
HOLY PAUSE…
Are we only impressed by Jesus?Have we said yes to Jesus and His salvation but prefer to continue to go our own way and live our lives the way we have always lived? Isn’t that confusing? Divided?
Do you love our Lord and Savior with all your heart, mind and soul, undivided in your attention and relationship to Him?
Has the Lord looked over the earth and found you as one who’s heart is completely His? Have you asked for His strength? He will give it freely.
When the narrow door closes, will you be on the other side of the door?
It doesn’t matter who you are but Who you belong to in the end.
Dear Heavenly Father, Lord and Savior,
You are Lord of my life. My heart, mind and soul belong to you. I am grateful that you will help us, show us the way with each step we take. I am thankful that you strengthen us as we “press on” in this world while preparing for life with you forever. Press on with transforming my life to be all you intended for me to be and do. Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus) 