The Narrow Gate

I've been reading through the book of Matthew as part of Pete Wilson's 28 Day Challenge, which was spurred on by his series, Backseat Jesus. I extended the challenge to my on-line life group and one of my highlights each day is reading everyone's thoughts on that day's chapter.

Today's reading was Matthew 7. While the chapter is full of rich delicious goodness, one section jumped out at me in a new way.

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 the leads to life, and only a few find it.

Now this isn't really new revelation, but it occurred to me that the road is so narrow that there is only room for one person to walk it at a time. I can't take anyone with me, nor can I go with another. I can't take anything with me, because there would not be enough room for me and my stuff, not only on the road but crossing through the narrow gate.

I'm not saying that we don't need each other. WE DO! I love being able to go along this journey with other people - learning from, loving and encouraging each other along the way. In fact, I wouldn't be as far along on the road as I am were it not for other believers. But in the end, the journey is personal, between me and my Savior, and no one can get me to the gate, and no one can keep me from getting there... except me.