“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
(Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

This week I sat one evening and looked through the options of films to watch on Netflix. As I scrolled through the options there was something for every taste, the action movie, the romantic comedy, the documentary and so the list went on. There was so much to choose from that I struggled to make a choice at all. I started one and then part way through changed to another before finally watching a sports documentary. Why do I share this with you? Let me explain. I was struck by the sheer number of different options to choose from and if I didn’t like one I could simply try something else. It is a bit like going into a sweet shop as a child and being able to pick and mix what you want. We live in a world that says life is like this. You can chose one path one day and if you don’t like that you can choose another the next. Even our young folks look at TV and films and think that’s what real life looks like and are left disappointed when it doesn’t work out like that, but it’s ok because we can just choose another path in the worlds understanding. The scriptures do not set out before us a plethora of different options or paths; they simply give us two roads that the verses above speak of. However the world tries to sell us a lie that we can just mix and match and see what works, maybe find a middle road. There is no such road, it is just a hopeful fantasy, and we all have a decision to make. Too many options can be unhelpful but in a world where we are bombarded by choice this seems too few. Even believers can be sucked into this kind of thinking trying to straddle both roads but to be on one road is not to be on the other. One road is a life of service and submission to Christ that leads to a glorious eternity in the presence of the Lord God Almighty the other is the road of worldly pleasure, rebellion to God and pleasing self but this leads to an eternity forever separated from a loving God, a truly terrible thought. Let me leave you with the words of John Piper:  ‘May God give us in perfect proportion the fruitful balance of loving heaven and fearing hell.’ May the Lord help us guide more around us towards the narrow path.

Every blessing
Gordon