Heart Tracks - Through The Door

        "Jesus said to them again, 'Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep......I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and go in and out, and find pasture."  John 10:7 and 9......"Christ Himself, when He was here, never failed to let people know that when they entered that door or that straight and narrow way, they were in for trouble."  T. Austin-Sparks....."If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me."  Mark 8:34

      T. Austin-Sparks said that while it was completely true that Christ alone was the door to Life, the only door, that "it was what lie beyond the door" that made for that life.  All of what comprises life in Christ, as well as all that would challenge that life.  Most of us seem to be thinking only in terms of coming to that door, and then taking the first step within.  Our thoughts and experience seem to go no further than that.  We read John 10, and hear Jesus speak about the pasture He has for us, and that pasture is usually all we see.  A pasture that in our mind contains an abundance of good things, and it does, but it is abundance and good as defined by Him.  We're looking for pasture that will feed our flesh.  He seeks to bring us into pasture that feeds our spirit and life.  Pasture that is His very life itself.  We go through the Door looking for our kind of abundance, and are so intent on finding it that we are blind to what lies beyond the door for all who will follow Him.  A narrow way, with a cross.  His cross that is awaiting us.
     So much popular preaching presents coming to Christ as akin to winning the lottery.  We've hit the jackpot.  Life, a good life, is now guaranteed.  There is no shortage of men and women peddling this message, for it's one that our flesh loves to hear.  Green pastures and still waters await, and lots and lots of both.  We won't just knock on the door for that, we'll kick it in.  I'm reminded of the old "Let's Make A Deal" quiz show.  We're shown a huge array of goods to be had if we get the right door.  We're sure that's the door He has for us.  But if we fall for that "pitch" know that we'll end up with "door number 3," containing the lifetime supply of tea bags every time.

     Make no mistake.  A life in Christ will bring us riches.  His riches.  Peace, joy, strength, wisdom, contentment, and grace. Grace upon grace, and abounding blessing.  Know as well though that the path of such life is narrow, and is walked upon only by way of and with His cross.  A cross that is now ours as well.  He that is the Door will lead us into trouble if we should dare to go through.  But it will be trouble to our flesh alone.  We will enter into a life that, as His Word says, "is really life."  There will be pasture, and blessing, and abundance, but it will be found not as an add on to Him, but in Him.  On the narrow road, at the cross. The Door, Christ, is before us.  So is the road and the cross.  Do we go through?  Do we enter into ALL that lies on the other side of the Door?

Blessings,
Pastor O