The gate to true life in 2021
2020 was a year like no other, and so will 2021, but both years will be defined by the spiritual gate you go through. One leads to life and reality, the other to fraud and futility. There is no need to put life on hold in 2021. Jesus’ offer of true life is not nule and void during lockdown, recession or any other circumstance that’s out of our control.
One of Jesus' favourite subjects to speak on was life. Jesus was no abstract philosopher, he was all about life, your life, my life, but most important true life.
Jesus talks about life in ways that seem almost contradictory. One time he says you need to "hate your life" to be a disciple and another time he says he comes to “give life to the full”. Hate life or full life. Which one is for you? Or maybe in between these statements a paradox lives that can help us move through a spiritual gate to true life?
The narrow gate
13 “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
The narrow gate is entrance to true life, it is not an easy or popular gate to enter. It takes hard work, requires focus, searching and commitment to enter it. The broad gate is easy and very accessible, it's the default and most take it without thinking.
The word "hard" in this verse is a word in greek used for "compressing" as in compressing grapes.
In 2020 we were squeezed. Some good things might have come out for you, and some bad things too. You might have resisted the hardship at times and looked for false comfort to cope with the loneliness, disconnection, boredom, homeschooling, work situation and more.
Or you might have pressed into the difficulties and found surprises in the darkness, a hint and a taste of an incredible life in God that transcends circumstances and transforms us.
We can have a compressed life or a comfortable life. One leads to true life and another to a cheap imitation, comfort eating our way through the pain, delay and disappointment.
A compressed life is a simple life. Everything unnecessary is squeezed out and exposed - our unhealthy relationship materialism, additions, poor mindsets. Jesus wants us to "hate" this old life (Luke 14:26) because it's not true life.
I believe this year will be even harder for some, but it doesn't have to be unnecessarily. This could be the best year of your life.
For me, I intend and expect it be the most fruitful year of my life, the church, my business and my family. I'm excited!
You can have a compressed life or a comfortable life. The narrow or the broad gate. You can hate what distracts you from God or you can tolerate it. The narrow gate is where you encounter difficulty, but when you allow it to shape you, there is gateway to enter true life.
This gate is always open, even now. Just say to God, “I want to enter into your true life”.
There is always contention for this life Jesus offers. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." (John 10:10)
Comfort is perfect when it comes from God, but when we our self-image is “sinner” then we usually end up with unhealthy forms of comfort. We default to what we consider our nature. The enemy will always take advantage of mindsets and self-concepts not rooted in Christ’s identity.
True life offers a new identity, the old sin nature dies with Christ, our new life is based on being baptised in God’s holy love. Yes we’re compressed through this gate, but we have real comfort in God.
So what is the true life?
It is the eternal life, the stunning, intimate and beautiful relationship the Son of God has with Father and the Spirit. This is fullness of life that has no limits. It’s breathless in wonder. This is the life shared with us. God is not a clique.
God is saying “pull up a chair and eat with us.” He’s saying “join this dance”, “jump in this river”, “discover the life you were made for.”
We don’t create this life, we enter into it.
We are on a journey of discovering the life we already have in Christ at the table with the Father and the Spirit. The table has been laid, will you enter in?
You can enter in by talking to God and saying “I want to come to you for true life.” Be quiet and still your heart and see what thoughts and impressions bubble up inside you. Are they life giving? Peaceful? Hopeful? If they are you might be experiencing that true life.
It's not so much let Jesus enter your life, it's more about entering his life, his story and his Kingdom dream.
In Christ, in Sonship we find peace, purpose and unending joy. We have been chosen to live in his redeemed humanity and perfect relationship with his Father. Our life is hidden in Christ at this table of fellowship with the Father by the Spirit. This is a hidden life to the outside world but more real than the things we touch.
Close your eyes and imagine the Father, Son and Spirit at a table overflowing with beautiful food, a glorious environment and full of laughter. What's it like? How do you feel? That is a home more real than we understand.
Let us enter into 2021 with the mindset that God has fullness of life for us because that’s the only kind of life he has to offer us. That’s the narrow gate, the difficult way to go where we let of the old and embrace the new life in Christ.
Prayer:
Father, thank you that I can enter through your Son to new life. I accept the gift of this true life. May I live in it daily. Amen
