The Narrow Gate Part 1

The way into the kingdom is not conspicuous. It is hidden, obscure and often not even observable to the naked eye. That is because it is concealed by the Lord from all except them who have humbled themselves before Him. Great victory and success has a way of filling us with pride so that the next provision or direction of the Lord goes unnoticed. The narrow gate is often only observed by them who have recently experienced some great failure or injury or defeat. It is the way of brokenness. It is way of servanthood. It is the way of the meek. It is made available to those who have "fallen on the rock" and been broken. This way cannot be forced. It must be revealed and then accessed by the grace of God. It must be opened to you.

Recently someone told me that they felt that Revelation 3:8 was for Suzanne and me. It reads, "I know your works. See, I have set an open door before you, and know one can shut it...." I was blessed to receive it but I did not know how it could be possible. It seemed like a distant reality and that our way was sealed shut.

Recently we have had some situations over which we are powerless to fix. They have been humbling to say the least. I have been asking the Lord for a way through. Yesterday my faith was quite depleted as we contemplated our options. In that state, even if God did show us a divine strategy for overcoming it would do us no good if we could not believe that it is His provision.

Early this morning I began to meditate on the words from Matthew 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate..." I said, "Father show me this gate. Show me how to access your will for our lives. It is hidden from me but I know you love me and want to show us your way." That is when He began to show me that the narrow gate is never accessed by the proud, the arrogant or the powerful. It is accessed by the weak, the powerless, the insignificant who can do nothing in themselves but who simply look to the Lord for direction. Then He said to my heart, "The narrow gate is the open door before you that no man can shut." In other words, they are one in the same and they will remain open to you as long as you believe Me. Something came alive in me as I heard the Lord confirm His promise. Suddenly my heart was stirred to believe Him and I felt a divine release.

This morning the narrow gate was simply faith to believe Him that all is well, that He sees our comings and our goings and that He has a plan to see us through.

I do not know what the open door looks like in its fullness. I do not know everything that is behind the narrow gate. But I am confident that the Lord is going before us to make our way plain and that along the journey there is provision to sustain us in times of weakness, fatigue and spiritual exhaustion. Dear one, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. "Faithful is He who calls you, and He will bring it to pass." To be continued...