Luke 13:22-30
22 Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”This is a scary story. It's all about doing God's will as opposed to my own, or I may not end up at the banquet in the kingdom of God.
He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’
“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’
26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’
27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’
28 “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. 29 People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. 30 Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”
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| Narrow Zion Gate - Jerusalem |
(This car could barely make the turn to come through this gate and
we saw multiple vehicles going back & forth to make it through.
We actually saw one car smack the wall, back up and keep on going!)
My will = the wide gate
we saw multiple vehicles going back & forth to make it through.
We actually saw one car smack the wall, back up and keep on going!)
My will = the wide gate
Gods will = the narrow gate
But how do we know who's will we are following? There don't seem to be any maps or road signs. At least not that my dense-self has seen. Doing God's will doesn't mean easy or happy, right? Then again, if trying to do something seems like swimming upstream constantly, doesn't that seem like it goes against God's will? Doesn't that seem like a "sign"? Like, if I am doing God's will, God's way, shouldn't the path be easy and straight? Nope.
I understand "for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough". That seems to be talking about being strong enough to resist temptation. Strong enough to do the right thing, strong enough to stand up for what's right, strong enough to say NO to Satan and his ways and the ways of this world.
But "walk the rough road".....now what does that mean? What makes this road rough? Boulders to stumble on? Twists to confuse us? Holes to turn our ankles or trip us up? Hills to climb, steep or slippery accents? Or is it rough in a metaphysical way? The path is very straight but narrow with many sinful behaviors and enticing to knock us off? High winds to make us unsteady and threaten to blow us off the edge?
Do worldly treasures and ideas and people constantly push or pull at us to knock us off?
Well my ASA - that's my Anonymous Spiritual Adviser - (Have I ever told you I have a spiritual adviser, only she doesn't know it? She's one of the most spiritual people I know and she surprises and guides me all the time!) said it's like perspective in art. God is our focal point.
We
are suppose to make a direct line to Him, no matter where we start or
are. But we fall, we stray, we get lost. And by the great mercy of
God, He adjusts the path so that it again leads straight to Him.
She said that although He planned a specific path in the beginning, the path of His will is like a constantly turning compass point. No matter which way we twist and wiggle and backtrack, it's always going to point a straight line to God. Staying on that line is His Will.
No matter how many times I stray, no matter how far to the left or right or away from his Will I go, no matter how many times I sin, He has infinite mercy and patience with me and he "redraws" my path to heaven, His will for me.
Every single time I repent or confess or try again, I get a new, straight-line to God!
How beautiful is that? : )
I love knowing the God will show me the way to him, no matter how lost I am.
When we were in Jerusalem, we got lost.
The entire tour group had exited out the Jaffa Gate after a full day of events in Old Jerusalem. It was sunset and Mom and I stood with everyone and marveled at the mix of old and new, the ancient wall of the City of David and the modern highway running beside it.
Besides that, I realized I was very near the same location as Mitch had years ago! I remembered his photograph when he was a junior in college (and suppose to be in Egypt, not Israel....but that's another story) and was trying to remember just where he had been.
There was a gorgeous sunset which made a perfect backdrop to the beautiful spot. Mom & and were happily taking photos and enjoying ourselves on the plaza/bridge.
When all of a sudden we realized we were alone!
It's a sickening feeling to look around and know your group is gone and you have no idea which way they went. We looked around and saw a very glittery and modern-looking shopping mall leading off the plaza - they must have gone in there for more shopping!
We took off quickly down the wide, tiled walkway between the very expensive shops. Everywhere were lights and people and beautiful clothes, jewelry, keepsakes and gifts mixed between outdoor cafe tables and musicians and artistic statues! It was lovely and such a contrast to the ancient shops we had just come from on the other side of the Jaffa Gate!
Well, no matter how hurriedly we walked, we didn't see a soul we knew. No one from our group was to be seen in the wide promenade, nor at the cute cafe tables, nor through any of the enticing windows to the very high-end stores we were passing.
Uh Oh.
I could feel my stomach sinking and my stress rising. In fact, very quickly I was beginning to panic. It was getting dark and what if they didn't realize we weren't with the group???
Ah ha - modern technology to the rescue! I grabbed my phone and began to text Di!
"We are lost! Where are you guys!?!?!?"
And she texted me right back with a location - they were on the bus parked along a lower street down the stairs from the Jaffa Gate. I ran ahead to the next break in the stores, ran out onto the wide steps and looked - there were more than a dozen buses parked up and down the street and after a minute I spotted ours about 2 from the end!
THANK GOD!
Mom and I made our way to them as fast as we could and jumped on the bus. Hillel and Mickey were talking outside the door and Hillel looked at me with that exasperated, you-are-always-last-on-the-bus look. I smiled and we went to our seats. What a relief!! Whew!
What a lesson that was. Pay attention. Stay alert. And when you are lost: Phone A Friend!
It's a lesson for my spiritual life too: Stay on track, pray for guidance, and when I feel lost, call someone spiritual and get some advise to help me find my way back to God's path!
2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 8
 | |
| perspective drawing with a focal point |
She said that although He planned a specific path in the beginning, the path of His will is like a constantly turning compass point. No matter which way we twist and wiggle and backtrack, it's always going to point a straight line to God. Staying on that line is His Will.
Every single time I repent or confess or try again, I get a new, straight-line to God!
How beautiful is that? : )
I love knowing the God will show me the way to him, no matter how lost I am.
When we were in Jerusalem, we got lost.
 |
| Plaza outside the Jaffa Gate |
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| Mitch in Jerusalem, 2004 |
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| Jerusalem is a constant mix of ancient & modern |
It's a sickening feeling to look around and know your group is gone and you have no idea which way they went. We looked around and saw a very glittery and modern-looking shopping mall leading off the plaza - they must have gone in there for more shopping!
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| Mamilla Mall in Jerusalem |
Well, no matter how hurriedly we walked, we didn't see a soul we knew. No one from our group was to be seen in the wide promenade, nor at the cute cafe tables, nor through any of the enticing windows to the very high-end stores we were passing.
Uh Oh.
I could feel my stomach sinking and my stress rising. In fact, very quickly I was beginning to panic. It was getting dark and what if they didn't realize we weren't with the group???
Ah ha - modern technology to the rescue! I grabbed my phone and began to text Di!
"We are lost! Where are you guys!?!?!?"
And she texted me right back with a location - they were on the bus parked along a lower street down the stairs from the Jaffa Gate. I ran ahead to the next break in the stores, ran out onto the wide steps and looked - there were more than a dozen buses parked up and down the street and after a minute I spotted ours about 2 from the end!
THANK GOD!
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| Looking off of the Mamilla Mall to the street below - full of tour buses |
What a lesson that was. Pay attention. Stay alert. And when you are lost: Phone A Friend!
It's a lesson for my spiritual life too: Stay on track, pray for guidance, and when I feel lost, call someone spiritual and get some advise to help me find my way back to God's path!
Dear Lord, Thank You for placing people in my life that can help guide me to you. Thank you for the Holy Priests, my holy friends, my holy family members who help me on my path to heaven! Amen.
2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 8
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