The Gate - Matthew
7:13-14
Sally Bentley
You
know when you're not quite awake and yet you are certainly not asleep and
thoughts fill your mind. Images of
people and places cross the scene set there.
I was in such a state this morning and a vivid scene played out before
me. I saw myself walking down this huge
highway that was packed with what must have been millions of other people
walking along it. Have you ever been to
Disneyland when it's so crowded that you really have no choice as to where you
were going? This road was like
that. Everyone was just moving along in
mass packed in like cattle and I'm certain that everyone, like myself wondered
where we were all headed. I also had a
vague sense that something was making this walk terribly difficult. It was then
that I realized that I was carrying this huge bundle of stuff that, for some
reason, I don't really know what, I considered to be extremely valuable. Everyone else was carrying their huge
treasure as well. The sad thing was that
often times, someone would collapse under their load and although the rest of
us felt sorry for him, we could not afford to loosen the grasp on our own
bundles long enough to help the misfortunate person. So eventually he was trampled under the feet
of the throng who were pressed along, almost as if against their own wills, in
the inevitable movement forward. (Amos 2:7)
As I
walked along, relieved that it was not I who fell, I noticed a fork in the road
ahead. Well, it wasn't a fork really -
there was just sort of a path that diverged from the main road. No one else seemed to notice it at all. Several yards down the path there was some
sort of unusual gate and standing beside it was a man unlike any I've ever
met.
There
wasn't anything particularly unusual about his appearance but there was
something about his demeanor and his eyes that fascinated me. As I was briefly studying him, suddenly I
realized that his eyes were locked onto ME.
I saw his lips move but I couldn't quite be sure what he was saying and
then somehow through the din of the crowd I heard it as plain as day. It was only a whisper but somehow it broke
through and I heard it. He called MY
name. (John 10:27) I was drawn to him
and I desperately fought to make it to the side of the highway where the path
cut off before we passed it. I barely
made it there in time to see another person stumble and crushed by the
crowd. Then I turned my eyes back to the
man at the gate and he was now reaching a hand out toward me as if he wanted me
to come. The nearer I came to him the
more I noticed his hands. They were
healing from some horrible wounds. As I
approached, I had to ask him about them.
"Sir,
how did you get these injuries?"
His
voice came back, "I received them when I was building this gate for
you." (Isa. 53:5)
"For
me?" I said. "You don't even know me."
"I
knew you and I chose you before the creation of the world." He
replied. (Eph1:4)
"Chose
me - for what?"
"To
be my disciple. Come follow me along
this narrow path. (Matt. 11:28-30) The wide highway that you have been traveling
on leads to a cliff over which everyone who travels it will fall and die. It's a far easier road to take but it leads
to death and destruction. This gate
opens onto a very narrow and treacherous path but it leads you right into the
Father's loving arms. Come and we'll walk it together."
"Who
is the Father and why would he want to love me?" I asked.
"He
is the One who made all things and He has sent me here to bring you to
Him. We love you because we have chosen
to do so and our reasons are beyond your understanding. (John 15:16) The
question is - Will you enter through the gate?"
I
thought for a moment. Who wouldn't want
to go through it? The path may be hard
but the highway would only lead to death.
"Yes - Yes I want to come through!" I answered with joy.
I
walked up to the gate and tried to pass through but I couldn't seem to
fit. All of the things I was holding
onto made me too large to enter. No
matter how I struggled, turned and twisted I simply couldn't get through the
opening with all my stuff. I looked up
in frustration at the man who smiled patiently at me.
"You
must leave all of that behind." He said.
(Matt. 6:19-21)
"But
it's mine. I've worked for years to
acquire all of this. How can I just
leave it?"
"If
you want to come through the gate you must lay it all down." He replied.
(Mark 8:36)
Just
then I thought of a great idea. Maybe I
can fit part of it through. I looked
carefully at my treasures and decided that maybe I could do without a couple of
them. I selected a few of the least
precious ones and dropped them on the ground.
First I picked one that was labeled MONEY and then I thought I'd really
sacrifice and I laid down two more labeled CAR and HOUSE. (Matt. 6:24) Then I tightened
my grip on everything else and tried again.
No luck. The man looked at me
wistfully and said "You've got to let go of everything." So I looked again at my precious bundles and
couldn't decide which would go next. I
even considered just walking back and getting on the main highway with everyone
else but somehow I was drawn to go through the narrow gate down the small
path.
"Here
sir," I said, "This is a large parcel." and I laid down one
called PRIDE. "And how about
these?" and I let go of PLEASURE
and SELF INDULGENCE. (Mark 8:34-35) I now only had a few precious packages left
and I really couldn't believe he would want me to leave these behind. I pressed on the gate. I squeezed and strained but no matter what I
did I couldn't fit through.
I
looked up at this man who had called me out from the rest of the world. I looked into his eyes - his beautiful loving
eyes and I realized that nothing I had was more precious than walking through
the narrow gate and down the rugged path with this man. I suddenly wanted to run into the Father's
arms more than anything I had ever desired in life. (Phlp 3:8)
I
dropped the last two parcels that I was holding onto. The packages labeled HUSBAND and CHILDREN
dropped from my hands (Luke 14:26) but I couldn't help but ask the man if he
would call them to walk down the path after me one day too. "They will hear my voice and they must
choose to follow for themselves."
I
turned toward the gate and the man placed his hand on my shoulder to stop
me. "My hands are empty sir. I should be able to fit through
now."
"One
thing more" He said. "Look at
the clothes you're wearing."
I
looked down. "I made this outfit
myself! What's wrong with it?" I
asked. "These are the rags of SELF
RIGHTEOUSNESS" He replied. (Isa. 64:6) "They cannot be worn on the
other side of the gate. I have made for
you a very special robe called THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST.(Isa. 61:10) As soon as you pass through the gate I will
place it on you and so my Father can accept you into His Holy Presence."
The
thought of leaving behind these garments that I had worked so methodically to
piece together frightened me and yet I knew in my heart that the robe now
offered to me was beyond comparing to the meager clothes I was wearing. It was by far the most humbling thing I have
ever done but I dropped my clothes there and the kind and gentle man opened the
gate before me. Trembling with joy mixed
with a little fear I passed through the gate easily. And as I crossed over the threshold, my new
loving friend placed a robe on my shoulders that was the most radiant and
glorious garment I have ever seen! I
stood there beyond the gate with a heart of gratitude for being saved from
certain death and for being relieved of my heavy burdens.
And so
began the adventure down the path that will one day lead to untold riches in
the Everlasting Kingdom of Light. (Isa. 35:8-10)
THE BEGINNING!
