The Narrow Door

"Strive to enter through the narrow door, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Luke 13:24

Narrow = limited in scope and size; narrow down, to focus, to reduce, to limit, to get thinner.
Strive = to try hard, to fight in opposition, to compete resolutely to something, to go all-out.
Stuff = personal possessions, qualities, specialty, talents.

I sit, and I wonder about this narrow door. What does it look like? Is it ornate or simple? Is it hidden or easily found? Does it have to be unlocked with a key or can someone just turn the knob and open the door? Why is it so narrow? Why are we encouraged to strive to enter through the narrow door? What is on the other side? Why do so many find it but are unable to enter? What keeps them from entering?

Imagine yourself as an explorer off to find a lost treasure somewhere in the world. Your backpack is loaded with all of the latest gadgets. You are geared up with the latest high tech sportswear. As you set out in search of this rare treasure, you are ready to conquer anything that comes your way. A year later, you are closer to finding the treasure that you seek. The past year has been filled with amazing discoveries, some dangerous situations, and moments of doubt and uncertainty accompanied with a desire to turn back and head home - without the treasure. One day, you discover an ancient map that reveals the exact location of the treasure you so desperately seek. You forge ahead and finally find it. What lies before you now is the long awaited narrow door. As you begin to enter the passage way you realize that your backpack will not fit through the narrow opening. You decide that the treasure is worth leaving all of your "stuff" behind. You look back one last time, wondering if you will regret this decision. You wonder if you will be able to make it without your stuff, but your desire to discover the treasure pushes you onward towards what lies on the other side. Finally, you reach the opening. As you exit the passage way you find yourself in the presence of the Most High. You immediately fall to your knees in wonder. The light from His being is warm and bright. His Peace fills the air. You have entered into God's presence with nothing but the clothes on your back. All of your stuff has been left behind and you realize that being in His presence was all that you have ever needed.

Perhaps the narrow door represents what has to take place in our hearts, minds and souls before we can fully enter into His presence - fully receiving His power and Spirit. We must narrow down, focus, reduce, and limit our "stuff". Our talents, qualities, personal possessions keep us from total dependence on God. Our stuff can prevent us from entering the narrow door into the Kingdom of God. All that our Father wants for us to possess as we come to Him is faith like a child - faith in our Father who is perfect. Many people choose to put their faith, their security in their stuff. Of their own choosing many will not enter the narrow door. The road that leads to the shedding of self-sufficiency is where most turn back and return to the comforts of home. While, this choice might seem easier, in the long run it will imprison their hearts and seal their eternal fate. Only by God's Holy Spirit can we come to a place of understanding that as His children we must strive to enter the narrow opening - shedding off the excess weight/stuff that would ultimately lead to our undoing.

It all boils down to Faith (trusting in someone especially without logical proof - Encarta Dictionary) - Faith in God and the furthering of His Kingdom.

The Blessing

"I lay My loving Hands on you in blessing. Wait in love and longing to feel their tender pressure and, as you wait, courage and hope will flow into your being, irradiating (to make something brighter by shining light onto it) all your lives with the warm sun of My Presence." God Calling - by A.J. Russell - April 6

Blessing = the infusion (the act of installing a quality into a person) of something with holiness, with divine will (Wikipedia).

Bow your head and hear the voice of God; "I lay My loving Hands on you in blessing. Wait in love and longing to feel their tender pressure upon you. And as you wait, feel the warmth of My Son's presence saturate you with His hope and courage. Be still My child and experience the tender pressure of My loving hands and the invigorating warmth of my presence as I bless you, as I infuse My holiness and My divine will into your spirit."

Have you ever wanted to "feel" the tender pressure of God's presence? I was touched deeply when I read the introductory sentence, "I lay My loving Hands on you in blessing." I imagined a throne room and God as King, dressed in regal attire reaching out to lay His loving Hands upon my head and bless me as I knelt before Him, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This is an incredible image, but what created a desire to rise up within me was the next sentence; "Wait in love and longing to feel their (The fingers of God) tender pressure". Is it possible to physically feel the tender pressure of God's touch? Sit with that a minute. Is it possible to physically feel the tender pressure of God's fingers on you as He blesses you? A definition for blessing is; the infusion of God's holiness, and His divine will. Infusion is defined as the act of installing a quality into a person - the quality of holiness and divine will. Is the process of the blessing one that requires a longing for the feeling of the tender pressure of His hands? The processes of infusing or installing does require some time. This experience could be compared to the restoration of a building or the installing of a new computer program. Both examples require time. The laying on of God's hands begins the act of installing holiness into us and the waiting for God's blessing creates a longing to feel the tender pressure of His Fatherly touch. What is God calling us to? Is He revealing the secret to unleashing His blessing upon His children? As His children must we understand the significance of God's blessing and then must we seek after it - longing to feel the tender pressure upon our lives as we live to serve the One and only true God? Can we ask God to lay His loving Hands on others in blessing - wishing for them the same experience of a profound touch by God? I plan to continue this conversation with God - believing that He wants to reveal the secret of unleashing His blessing upon the lives of ALL of His children.

Abba help us to understand what you want to reveal. Amen.