In John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me,” he was speaking of a path of life, a direction that I should walk in for a life style. He was ordained and made a way for every Believer who will make him Lord of their lives.
Math 7: 13 & 14 speaks of two gates that we may choose to enter.
Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in there at: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there are that find it.
As God’s creation, he has made me a creature of choice. Am I on the narrow way which leadeth to life or the broad way that leadeth to destruction? Do I, in my choices, lose my direction and find I have lost my way ? How have I slipped from the narrow to the broad? What happened in my choices to cause me to falter and err? These are vital questions which I must ask myself if I am to recover and find the narrow way back to life!
There is a way of peace: Luke 1:79 and Rom 3: 16 & 17 Peace is a great indicator or sign post to keep me in the way! If I have peace, I’m on the right path. The Holy Spirit is the one who will keep me in truth because he is the Spirit of Truth. What caused me to slip and how can I prevent it happening? Well, I am a child of God, and though I may be an adult in my physical stature, Jesus said “Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven”: Math 18:3. The conversion which must take place to keep me in the way is in my believing.
What was so exceptional about the child Jesus used as an example in the above mentioned scripture? Simply, his humility. He called to him and set him in the midst of what could have been a very intimidating bunch of adults. He then used him as an example but found no place of resistance in him or self consciousness, just a simple humility and obedience.
We have so many ‘pat answers’ in Christianity to give direction in keeping us in the way. Well we say “it’s all about obedience.” Well we know this, but if we are real we will also know that obedience does not come easily. Jesus had to learn obedience by the things that he suffered, an old English word that means ‘allowed’ or ‘permitted’ i.e: suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not: Math 19:14, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.
The key to learning this obedience is humility. Humility will keep one in the way, pride will cause me to stray!!
I come to a place of truth, which if I am real with God I will acknowledge that I do not want His way, I do not want His will in a given situation. But here is a tremendous truth: Jesus did not want His Father’s will. In the garden he said ” if it be possible Father, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” He is the sinless Son of God but he did not want the Father’s will. So it is not a sin not to want the will or way of God, the sin is not to choose it. He had learnt obedience and in humility chose it! Phil 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. There is so much in the word become. It speaks of a process where I learn obedience. John 1:112 To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God. As I humble myself under the mighty hand of God, it triggers the power of God within me to become obedient to his will or way. Phil 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. In so doing God gets all the glory for keeping me in the narrow way!!
