Jfirst Cause Weeklyl Devotional
June 28, 2007
The road less travelled
Narrow gate – I was recently reading the poem entitled, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. It’s beautifully written and extremely moving. I wondered why he took the road less travelled. From the poem, the author mentions that he looked down each road as far as he could see and he wished he could travel both.
One road was better than the other. The second road was grassy and seemed to be the better choice to travel down. Now the author said in the beginning that he wished he could travel both but he had to make a choice because it wasn’t possible to travel both.
When Mr. Frost chose the road he specifically stated, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
This choice mirrors the Christian Life because at some point in our lives we had to choose to either serve God or the world. This seems like a no brainer but lots of people choose the world over God or try and do both. Just like Robert Frost who chose the road less traveled, we have to choose a road because we can’t do both because it is impossible. The Bible says God is a jealous God meaning you either choose Him and do it His way or you choose the world. It can’t be both ways.
As I was thinking about this poem, I thought about a passage in the book of Matthew. This passage is Matthew 7:13-14(NKJV).
The Narrow Way
13 “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. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
As I was reading these verses, I noticed Jesus said from the start to enter the narrow gate. The Lord is saying that I will touch your life, show you how valuable and loved you are but you have to choose to enter by the narrow gate. Jesus will not force anyone to serve Him. He will move mountains to get you to Him. He endured a cross to get you to Him but you have to enter by the narrow gate and that is a choice you have to make personally.
After Jesus said enter the narrow gate in verse 13, He continues by saying wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many who go in by it. Jesus says there is another gate and it is wide and many choose this gate. Why would they choose this gate? I noticed that it’s a wide gate so lots of room to do what you want perhaps. You know we live in a world that is all about what we can get and not want we can give or how we can serve. Life has become all about us. An extremely selfish existence is what life has become. What’s even sadder then life being selfish is that Christians are just as selfish and something is wrong with that picture. The good news is just as we can choose what road we travel down, we can choose to change and become a servant who is unselfish.
Many go by the wide road because it’s an easy road and it has all the lights. That’s where the party is or whatever life style we choose to be a part of is on the wide road. Sounds like the road to be on but do people know that this road leads to destruction? It may be fun for awhile but ultimately this is a road of pain, heartache, and sadness. This road leads to destructive life styles but it doesn’t stop there. If people never get off this road it leads to eternal destruction. In the movie Gladiator Maximus who is played by Russell Crowe says in the beginning of the movie, “What you do in life echoes in eternity.” How true these words ring when we are on the two roads of life. One that leads to destruction and one that leads to life.
If you’re on the road to life, it’s your job to tell people they don’t have to be on the road that leads to destruction because Jesus saved the best for last.
In verse 14 Jesus mentions the road to life. He starts off by saying this road is narrow and difficult. Now if I were just reading this for the first time, I would be a little shook up.
I would ask how narrow is this road? Do I have to be perfect on this road? The answer that Jesus would give us would be seasoned with His Amazing Grace. Grace doesn’t ask for perfection rather it asks for total devotion. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to give your life 100% to Jesus and obey Him. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-23(NKJV), “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new ever morning.” God makes it so that every morning He fills up the Mercy Tank and it’s because of His Amazing Grace.
Being perfect to God is living for Jesus completely and this only on the narrow road. The road is lonely at times but are you ever alone? The road is hard but is it so hard that you had to die on a cross? The road is difficult to see on at times. Why? Because this road is a road of Faith. Sometimes you can’t see what God is doing but you have to believe He is in control and actively working in your life for good.
In the end, Jesus said this road leads to life not only in this life but in the next life as well. The difficulties will have been worth going through because this is the greatest life you could have ever lived and will ever live.
The Challenge – Ask God to help you live life on the narrow road with more passion and purpose. When God lets you know what He is asking you to do, start doing it immediately. Jesus has a full life for you to live so don’t waste any time. If you sometimes are attracted to the wide road remember the words from the poem, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
The road less travelled
Narrow gate – I was recently reading the poem entitled, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. It’s beautifully written and extremely moving. I wondered why he took the road less travelled. From the poem, the author mentions that he looked down each road as far as he could see and he wished he could travel both.
One road was better than the other. The second road was grassy and seemed to be the better choice to travel down. Now the author said in the beginning that he wished he could travel both but he had to make a choice because it wasn’t possible to travel both.
When Mr. Frost chose the road he specifically stated, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
This choice mirrors the Christian Life because at some point in our lives we had to choose to either serve God or the world. This seems like a no brainer but lots of people choose the world over God or try and do both. Just like Robert Frost who chose the road less traveled, we have to choose a road because we can’t do both because it is impossible. The Bible says God is a jealous God meaning you either choose Him and do it His way or you choose the world. It can’t be both ways.
As I was thinking about this poem, I thought about a passage in the book of Matthew. This passage is Matthew 7:13-14(NKJV).
The Narrow Way
13 “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. 14 Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.
As I was reading these verses, I noticed Jesus said from the start to enter the narrow gate. The Lord is saying that I will touch your life, show you how valuable and loved you are but you have to choose to enter by the narrow gate. Jesus will not force anyone to serve Him. He will move mountains to get you to Him. He endured a cross to get you to Him but you have to enter by the narrow gate and that is a choice you have to make personally.
After Jesus said enter the narrow gate in verse 13, He continues by saying wide is the gate that leads to destruction and many who go in by it. Jesus says there is another gate and it is wide and many choose this gate. Why would they choose this gate? I noticed that it’s a wide gate so lots of room to do what you want perhaps. You know we live in a world that is all about what we can get and not want we can give or how we can serve. Life has become all about us. An extremely selfish existence is what life has become. What’s even sadder then life being selfish is that Christians are just as selfish and something is wrong with that picture. The good news is just as we can choose what road we travel down, we can choose to change and become a servant who is unselfish.
Many go by the wide road because it’s an easy road and it has all the lights. That’s where the party is or whatever life style we choose to be a part of is on the wide road. Sounds like the road to be on but do people know that this road leads to destruction? It may be fun for awhile but ultimately this is a road of pain, heartache, and sadness. This road leads to destructive life styles but it doesn’t stop there. If people never get off this road it leads to eternal destruction. In the movie Gladiator Maximus who is played by Russell Crowe says in the beginning of the movie, “What you do in life echoes in eternity.” How true these words ring when we are on the two roads of life. One that leads to destruction and one that leads to life.
If you’re on the road to life, it’s your job to tell people they don’t have to be on the road that leads to destruction because Jesus saved the best for last.
In verse 14 Jesus mentions the road to life. He starts off by saying this road is narrow and difficult. Now if I were just reading this for the first time, I would be a little shook up.
I would ask how narrow is this road? Do I have to be perfect on this road? The answer that Jesus would give us would be seasoned with His Amazing Grace. Grace doesn’t ask for perfection rather it asks for total devotion. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to give your life 100% to Jesus and obey Him. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-23(NKJV), “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new ever morning.” God makes it so that every morning He fills up the Mercy Tank and it’s because of His Amazing Grace.
Being perfect to God is living for Jesus completely and this only on the narrow road. The road is lonely at times but are you ever alone? The road is hard but is it so hard that you had to die on a cross? The road is difficult to see on at times. Why? Because this road is a road of Faith. Sometimes you can’t see what God is doing but you have to believe He is in control and actively working in your life for good.
In the end, Jesus said this road leads to life not only in this life but in the next life as well. The difficulties will have been worth going through because this is the greatest life you could have ever lived and will ever live.
The Challenge – Ask God to help you live life on the narrow road with more passion and purpose. When God lets you know what He is asking you to do, start doing it immediately. Jesus has a full life for you to live so don’t waste any time. If you sometimes are attracted to the wide road remember the words from the poem, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
Be Blessed,
Joey
PS: If you need prayer, write you requests in the comments section of the blog. Let us know when God answers your prayers by sending your praise reports.
If you haven't received Jesus Christ yet and you want to, pray this prayer. Dear God I admit I am a sinner in need of a Savior and I believe that Savior is Jesus Christ. I confess Jesus today as my Lord and Savior and commit my life to Him. I pray this in the name of Jesus Amen. Let us know if you received Christ so we can rejoice with you because it’s the greatest thing you will ever do in this life.
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