By Rebekah Harvey
There is a well-known song called, “Life Is A Highway”, it was written by Tom Cochrane in 1991. If you ever saw the Disney-Pixar film “Cars” you have heard it. Our lives are like a highway, there are times when we are smooth sailing with the cruise control on and air conditioning blasting and the radio up enjoying the ride. Other times we are in miserable traffic or waiting in construction zones, worse than that is running out of gas or having a mechanical breakdown.

Jesus addressed this from a spiritual perspective in Matthew 7:13-14, He said, “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. 14 “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Jesus gave this message in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. It is important for us to understand that there is a path leading to life and a path leading to destruction. One is easy to find and walk on, the other is a hard road.

These paths lead to different places, one is broad and well traveled with many people on it, the other is difficult without the vast amount of road warriors. It is critical to choose the correct path, the narrow path because it leads to life even though it is a difficult one. The wide destructive way says that all roads lead to God but the narrow path with Jesus as the door brings life. Jesus said about Himself in John 10:2 “But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. … 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. … 9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” Jesus is the only way, the narrow way to eternal life.

It is a narrow gate because there is only one way in, through Jesus. In John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” The narrow gate or road is one that is traveled by direct intention, Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” To travel the narrow road and enter the narrow gate requires a person to hear the voice of Jesus inviting them, receive His invitation, then open the door to their life and enter into fellowship with Him, which gives life. These decisions require deliberate intention and effort to maintain.

Human nature wants to take the path of least resistance, to ride the road of ease. This broad path tolerates, ignores, and accepts sin. The world tells us we are narrow when we don’t accept sin. Jesus did not accept sin. This is an invitation to look at your life and examine the road you are on. Do you need to leave the well traveled highway and turn on the narrow path where Jesus is the door and author of life?

We are encouraged in Proverbs 9:6 “Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.”