Matthew 7:13-14 The Narrow Way
“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. Because [how] narrow is the gate and [confined] difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
It’s been called “a maimed life.” The phrase was first used by Thomas Wedgewood (1771-1805). Thomas Wedgwood was an English photographer and inventor. He is most widely known as an early experimenter in the field of photography. He is the first person known to have thought of creating permanent pictures by capturing camera images on material coated with a light-sensitive chemical. (Wikipedia) But Wedgewood was more than a scientist; he was also a Bible-believing Christian and a disciple of Jesus.
Here is what Oswald Chambers says in My Utmost for His Highest, June 29th about a maimed life: “And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” — Matthew 5:30
Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off the right hand, but — “If your right hand offends you in your walk with Me, cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but, says Jesus, if it hinders you in following His precepts, cut it off. This line of discipline is the sternest one that ever struck mankind.
When God alters a man by regeneration, the characteristic of the life to begin with is that it is maimed. There are a hundred and one things you dare not do, things that to you and in the eyes of the world that knows you are as your right hand and your eye, and the unspiritual person says — “Whatever is wrong in that? How absurd you are!” There never has been a saint yet who did not have to live a maimed life to start with. But it is better to enter into life maimed and lovely in God’s sight than to be lovely in man’s sight and lame in God’s. In the beginning Jesus Christ by His Spirit has to check you from doing a great many things that may be perfectly right for everyone else but not right for you. See that you do not use your limitations to criticise someone else.
It is a maimed life to begin with, but in v.48 Jesus gives the picture of a perfectly full-orbed life — “Ye shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
When I was growing up, there were many things I wanted to do because my friends were doing them; however, my parents would steadfastly refuse while saying, “You’re MY kid, and I don’t want you doing ….” If we are to be disciples, we must accept the fact that we are God’s kids, and HE gets to dictate our behavior. We also must realize that the things God allows others to do may be total poison for us. Recovering alcoholics know that while others might have a beer or a glass of wine occasionally, for them it would spell disaster, for it might tip them back into alcoholism.
Disciples must obey the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit says, “NO!” we must stop and examine to see why the Spirit is protesting. As soon as we begin arguing, we grieve the Holy Spirit, our Heavenly Father, and Jesus. “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is still a fundamental law of the Kingdom. When we are obedient to the Spirit’s leading and refuse to indulge in something we know is not right, we will find that our lives are better and straighter as a result. Our sole desire should be to please God and not other people.
Today, pray and ask God if there are things you are failing to do or things that you persist in doing that are preventing you from entering that narrow gate. Trust that God can communicate in ways you will understand.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to accept Your goals for our lives rather than our own. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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