Narrow Gate – Ian Chan
Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and God for sure has been directing my attention towards it this season. Jesus tells us this warning and many other dire messages in Matthew, but what does the narrow gate mean? It means to love God with all your heart, to seek Him and obey Him and truly believe that His way is the best. It will never be the easiest, but it will always be most worthwhile. In doing so, we will have to reject what we want or what the world wants. The enemy tries to break us down in spiritual battle with temptations in sin and idols, stoking our unbelief and helping us fill with pride. But this season, I am resisting.
Not long ago I had half-hearted faith, lukewarm with weak confession and repentance, and bearing minimal fruit. God in His ways and His living word told me to change and start building a foundation of faith on rock rather than on sand. But in my pride, I was happy with a half-rock half-sand foundation. And when it got tested, my house fell, ungraciously. My faith is not as alive as I had thought, so I must start over and keep building again.
Then He in His mysterious ways directed me towards pouring out love and care as Christ has done for us. And what better way to love and care, as Paul wrote, than to serve the church and give up for your brothers and sisters in fellowship? In the Vine’s Inductive Bible Study Community, I am given the opportunity to help the works of the Spirit, to help lead and facilitate my group’s edification in the Word so that we can hear Him and truly build our foundation on rock. I am always greatly encouraged by my group’s enthusiasm to seek Him earnestly every week. And I am truly humbled by their love and care for one another, especially in prayer. Not only am I encouraged by the growing of our faith in the Word, I am also encouraged by the sharing of our spiritual battles. We bring into the light the darkness that wants to drag us down so that we fight in faith together.
No one is good enough to get through the narrow gate on their own. I would encourage anyone; fight with Him, in Christ and in the Spirit, and fight together in fellowship.
