Two roads lay before us each and every day. The question we must choice with everything we do: which one will we travel.
That was the thought in my mind as I sat next to this sign on my way to work. It fit with the lingering thoughts of the past few days since I came across the words to this song:
“One more day’s of work for Jesus,
one less of life for me!
But heaven is nearer, and Christ is dearer
than yesterday, to me.
His love and light fill all my soul tonight.”
The question rattling around in my brain has been, at the end of each day can I say this? Is each day I live one more of work for Jesus one less of life for me? Can I honestly say Christ is dearer than yesterday to me?
There are two roads before us. In Matthew, they are called the narrow road and the wide road. Other Christian writers have referred to them as the way of life and the way of death, alluding back to Deuteronomy. Call them what you will but we travel them each and every day.
With every choice you make, you either take a step on the road of life, a step closer to Christ, or a step on the road of death, away from Christ.
It is a startling thought. One we are not comfortable with. I want to spend my life on the narrow road. So the question becomes how?
Well, here are three thoughts I have on the matter:
- “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” God’s word will guide us in the way we should go. We must take it and apply it to our life. But to live by it, we must know it. So study the Word of God. Read it every day. Read at least three chapters every morning. Think about what it says. Find a truth every day that you can apply to your life. Memorize it, so you have it as a guide wherever you are. And then do it. As Corrie Ten Boom says: “Don’t worry about what you do not understand. Worry about what you do understand in the Bible but do not live by.” Go and do what you know from the Bible.
- “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” If you can do things in the name of Jesus and know that He would be pleased, you are on the right path. Now, I know many of have done terrible things in the name of Jesus but I do not think they honestly stopped to say, would Jesus do this? You must know what Jesus would do to truly be able to do everything in His name, but it would be good for us to stop and evaluate the choices we are making, to make sure that we would do them with Jesus standing next to us and we would be completely comfortable if we heard that Jesus was doing them.
- “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer is an incredible safeguard. As you go through the day praying, you find the Holy Spirit gives gentle guidance and correction that can keep us on the right path. Start the day in prayer. John Bunyan says, “He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day.” Spend time in prayer to start your day and keep the conversation going. Tell Him what you are thinking; what you want; what you feel. Finally, be still and listen to His responses. If you go with Him, you will be hard pressed to travel the road He will not go on.
What else have you found that helps keep you on the narrow road? Please share in the comments. I would love to learn from you.
As you navigate away from this page ask yourself: which road am I stepping onto?