"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Matthew 7:13-14
Two Gates
"Begin with the end in mind." Franklin Covey wrote those words in his best-seller, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He goes on to explain, "Begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination." It's easy to see that if you want to be a "highly effective person," that's good advice to follow. Keep the end in mind. That will help you stay on track and maintain focus on those things that are truly important.
Some 2,000 years before Franklin Covey came along, Jesus spoke in a similar way, although our Savior wasn't talking about business strategies and "highly effective people." He was talking about life. Like everything else, it ends. And that's when things will change… forever. The world as we know it will cease to exist and we'll find ourselves in the midst of a new reality: eternal life or eternal death, heaven or hell. Jesus makes that clear when he says there are two gates: one leads to destruction, the other leads to life.
There's a warning in these words. A lifetime without Jesus leads to death and destruction… eternally. But there's comfort here too. Jesus once said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). Jesus wants you to understand that the path to life has been opened by him. He took to the cross all your wrongs, all your guilt, all the wretched things you've done, and bearing all your sins he paid in full the debt you owe to God. The price was costly. Nothing less than the blood of God would do, but this Jesus willingly paid that he might place you on the narrow road to eternal life.
Nothing in all the world is more important than these simple facts. So begin this day with the end in mind. Set your heart on Jesus and rejoice. Life is found in him… eternally.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you set me on the path of life. May my heart always be set on you. Amen.
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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