THE NARROW WAY

Today's reading: Joshua 11:16-13:33, Luke 13:22-35, Psalm 71:7-16

"He replied, The door to heaven is narrow. Work hard to get in, because many will try to enter." Luke 13:24 NLT

I've made a mistake with a recent purchase.

Sure, it was only a laundry basket.

A nice laundry basket.

The nice large one that will hold plenty of freshly washed and still warm from the dryer clothes.

It has large handles and, well, it looks pretty, too.

Here is the problem...our old farmhouse doors were not built to accommodate large, cute laundry baskets.

As a matter of fact, when I enter our laundry room, it feels like I'm trying to maneuver an eight-foot long 2x4 through the doorway.

I have had to change my 'way of entry'.

I can no longer go in straight ahead with the laundry basket in my arms. I now must turn sideways, tilt the basket ever so slightly and angle myself, and said laundry basket, through the entry.

Our doorway is narrow but what I am attempting to bring through it is not.

Like the gates to heaven.

Oh, I can go in. Goodness, because of Jesus' gift of the cross, we all can go in--but it takes some 'changing of our ways' to enter.

We cannot take all we want into God's presence.

We cannot barge in with our burdens on our backs, in our hands, filling our heads and hearts.

We cannot go in how we want to go in, but instead how He has designed it for us to enter.

We cannot enter into heaven as we would the doors of WalMart or even church.

Like through a narrow laundry room door.

It can be done, but it must be done in a certain way.

Jesus is the only way we will enter. The only way!