Today is Dad’s birthday. On this day, December 1, I always miss both my parents. Dad, because he died in 1990. I well remember getting the call while we were working in Kenya. (It was our son’s 12th birthday and he had friends over to celebrate.) Mom, because I always tried to call or connect with her in some way on that day, knowing she was missing Dad.
But now, since 2012, she misses him no more because they are together in the presence of the Lord they both loved and served for 43 years. And someday, soon I hope, we will all be together again, rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sure of that!
I hope you have that confident assurance, too, because that is why Jesus came. He came to give us the hope (confident expectation) of eternal life, forgiveness from sin, and a secure future. He came, the baby in the manger, on a rescue mission unlike any other.
The best present you can give yourself this Christmas is to receive the one God Himself gave us. Think of that when you set out your Nativity this season.
“For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV
When I took this picture, I remembered the poem, The Road Not Taken, by Robert Frost.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth.
How often we find ourselves in a similar dilemma – having to choose between two options. I remember memorizing this poem as a child and not really getting it then; not really realizing how many choices I would make, and continue making, in the remaining years of my life.
But I made one choice many years ago and have not wavered from it. I chose which life path I wanted to take. The Bible speaks of two roads – The broad way and the narrow way – both options open and available to all. Jesus spoke of these two paths in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.” I chose the narrow way, the least traveled path, and have not been sorry.
It is not always the easiest route, or even the safest, but it is the one that leads to life! It is a sure path, guaranteed to get me where I want to go. It’s not the most popular way, since it is narrow, and those traveling on it are sometimes accused of being very narrow-minded by those on the broad road. The narrow road offers only one way to get to God. The idea of only one way disturbs people. We like to have choices, options, alternate ideas and solutions, but Jesus made it very clear. Only ONE way will get us there, and the way is narrow.
Some accuse Biblical Christianity of being exclusive, yet Jesus offers it to “Whosoever will!”
He just requires that those who choose to be included must come His way! It’s funny how we are ok with following the rules of games (Football, for example) or work environments, or educational institutions, but when it comes to faith, we think we can make our own rules.
Taking the narrow path requires following Jesus, the way He lays out for us in the Scriptures.
Jesus talked about this when He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; No one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). And “whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).
In the book, Little Pilgrim’s Progress, the young boy, Christian, followed the leading of Evangelist and, entering through the Wicket Gate, began his journey toward the Celestial City. After coming to the cross where he lost the burden he had been carrying, he found that the road was fraught with difficulties and dangers, and he was constantly harassed along the way. Despite several failures where he gave in to temptation, despite losing his traveling companion to martyrdom, despite being mocked by those who couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t just give up and enjoy the many pleasures offered to him, he did not quit. He was equipped with armor to battle the enemy, and with a scroll of instructions. He found relief, rest, and encouragement when he needed it most. Best of all, when he reached the Celestial City, he discovered that it was truly worth it all.
John W. Peterson wrote about the journey in his song, It’s Not an Easy Road.
It’s not an easy road we are traveling to heaven, For many are the thorns on the way. It’s not an easy road, but the Savior is with us, His presence gives us joy every day. Refrain No, no, it’s not an easy road, No, no it’s not an easy road. But Jesus walks beside me, and brightens the journey, And lightens every heavy load.
It’s not an easy road, there are trials and troubles, And many are the dangers we meet. But Jesus guards and keeps, so that nothing can harm us. And smooths the rugged path for our feet.
Though I am often footsore and weary from travel, Though I am often bowed down with care. A better day is coming when home in the glory, We’ll meet in perfect peace over there.
And what a day that will be! It will be worth it all when we see Jesus and are reunited with loved ones who finished their journeys before us.
Robert Frost’s poem ends with these words: I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence; Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
So, friends traveling on the narrow road, don’t give up! Press on! Whatever trials and difficulties you are facing today, whatever unknowns are around the corner, you do not travel alone. The One who called you to follow Him, promised never to leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). And traveling with HIM will make all the difference.
To those on the broad road, there is still time, and there is plenty of room. You, too, can make a choice to walk on the narrow path to life. I hope you will.
The book, Pilgrim’s Progress, was written by John Bunyan and first published in 1678. It is still being sold today with various adaptations, updated language, and in multiple formats. A spiritual allegory, it was “at one time second only to the Bible in popularity” (Britannica.com).
I remember the children’s version from my own childhood and have read it several times over the past decades. When my children were young it was ‘bedtime reading’, and this summer I enjoyed reading it to our visiting grandchildren. Currently I am reading Helen L. Taylor’s version, Little Pilgrim’s Progress, to our Sunday school class of 8-year-old boys. There is much to learn from the story, and it is easy to see why it has withstood the test of time.
In 2002 Lael Arrington published Pilgrim’s Progress Today: Christian’s Quest Through the Modern World. It is a recreation of the original journey of Christian, but it takes place in modern times in our contemporary world. It was timely when she first wrote it but perhaps increasingly so in our world today. Currently I’m reading and discussing it with 2 friends and highly recommend doing this.
The book is filled with promise, hope, warning, and caution. The title reveals that it is the story of the main character (Christian’s) journey forward in life. The way is fraught with dangers and obstacles, setbacks, stops and starts. There are choices to be made, challenges to overcome, battles to win, mistakes made, and victories achieved. Once Christian chooses to leave the City of Destruction and head toward the Celestial City, he encounters fierce opposition and endures many unexpected trials. He finds that it is not an easy journey. The King equips him with everything he needs, including clear instructions, places to rest, a strong weapon, and guides to assist him along the way. But the wicked prince is relentless in his pursuit and uses various strategies appealing to the emotional and physical desires of the traveler.
And so it is today for those who take the narrow road leading to their eternal home, the home promised to those who believe what Jesus said in John 14:2, “I go to prepare a place for you…,” the place Paul wrote about when he said, “For our citizenship is in Heaven…” (Philippians 3:20). We face multiple temptations and fears, all designed to detour and distract us from following Christ. It takes commitment, dedication, desire, and love for God to keep us on the straight path. It takes an act of the will to tune out the distractions and to stop listening to the voices trying to pull us in a different direction, attempting to turn us back, and even then, we cannot do it in our own strength. We must walk in the strength of the One who loved us so much He went to the cross to make the way to God possible for us.
So, persevere, dear friend.
Hang onto hope and to the One who promised never to leave or forsake you.
2 choruses come to mind:
“It’s not an easy road we are traveling to Heaven, for many are the thorns on the way. It’s not an easy road, but the Savior is with us, His presence gives us joy every day.” (John W. Peterson, 1952).
And this one by Ludie Carrington Day Pickett, 1897. “No, never alone, No, never alone. He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone.”
Although you may feel lonely at times, you do NOT travel alone.
Reaching, Encouraging, Connecting 