Sacred Holidays: A Devotional Leading Up To Summer预览

DAY THREE:  

Today we are going down a different road, a figurative one. Sure, Jesus walked down many actual roads. But in the passage below, he speaks of a metaphorical road to powerfully illustrate an important point. 

Read Matthew 7:13-14 and note what the road or way is like. 

God begs us not to take the easy way that seems to accept everyone. The gate that leads to destruction is, in fact, the one that is wide open. The temptation is to take that gate, over the one that is narrow. Not just narrow, but also hard. However, that gate leads to life. 

We learn that not many people are willing to walk down the road that leads to life. How heartbreaking is that to know? The thing is, true life is a hard thing to come by, but it is the one thing I believe all of humanity is pursuing. We want to know why we are here and we want our life to mean something. 

Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that there is a thief, Satan, who is coming to steal this life away from us, to kill any chance at finding life, and to destroy all that we thought would turn to beauty. That’s his plan. However, God has a totally different plan down His narrow path—He says in verse 10 that He came so we could not just have life but have abundant life! 

The path towards this life of abundance isn’t an easy one. Not only is it narrow because there is only one way in—belief in Jesus, the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). But it is also hard. Many won’t enjoy the idea that they must believe and trust in Christ exclusively to have the life God promises. Many will hate the fact that it will cost them a lot to follow Christ. Not an awesome selling factor! Right? 

Though it’s difficult, we can’t fear the hard nor the narrow way, because it’s the way that leads to life! 

Read James 1:2-4 and note what it says about hard things. 

When I was seventeen years old, I received a chronic health diagnosis. It’s wrecked my immune system, and led to a dozen surgeries to date. I had been a Christian all of a year when I first received my diagnosis. I didn’t understand what God was doing then. The truth is, I still don’t understand what He continues to do with this diagnosis. However, I wouldn’t trade it for anything either. Because I have lived out this passage in James and I can count it a joy that I went through this trial God has used it to test my, weak faith, making it stronger over time, so that He could produce a steadfastness in me. This caused me to have a desperation for and devotion to God that I couldn’t have had on my own. I believe that the Lord has allowed this to mature me, and one day on the other side of eternity, I’ll be able to say he has made “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” 

Can you think of a difficult situation you have been through that you wouldn’t wish on anyone, but you wouldn’t trade for the world either? Take a moment to thank the Lord for using it to test your faith and make you steadfast.

Just two years ago I faced another scary diagnosis and the Lord lead me to the following verse. 

Read Isaiah 43:18-19 and note what Jesus does with our ways. 

Our Father says that He is doing something new in us! He says that He will make a way in the wilderness. As we talk about roads, this is one of the most significant ones. God is saying I can make a way when there seems to be no way. Imagine a full, wild forest. The wilderness is chaotic and there is no clear path, right? Yet God says, I’m doing something new, and then He steps in and makes a way were there just bramble and chaos before. 

Wrap up today asking God to make a way in an area where there seems to be no way for you. Ask Him to help you stay on the narrow way, even when things get hard. Thank Him for how He making you mature, and one day, complete and perfect.