Alice in Wonderland had to choose a door. We are no different.
Each day we have a choice- which door will we walk through today?
Scripture records this – He [Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. (Luke 13:22-24 ESV)
Jerusalem was a walled city. A few of the doors, or gates, were wide enough for merchants to enter with all of their wares, carts, camels, donkeys and entourage. These were well guarded. But there were other doors, and doors in the walls within the wall. In order to get into the inner city where the Temple (and God on His throne in the Holy of Holies) lay, you had to enter one of these narrow doors. One was called the Eye of the Needle.
To enter into one of those doors, you had to assume a humbling position and bow down, or be on your knees. You could not carry anything with you on your back or under your arms. Beasts of burden were too hard to squeeze through. They had to be left tied up outside.
Allegorically, it is the same today. We cannot carry our worldly possessions into God’s presence. Nor can we haul in our burdens. Hurt, envy, disappointments, anger all have to be left outside. Even pride and an over sense of self-reliance have to be sloughed off and laid aside at the foot of the Cross at Calvary first.
Each morning we decide how to start our day. Will we go through the wide door that the rest of the world passes through with all of their things that seem so very important, or do we humble ourselves upon our knees and enter the narrow door empty and ready to receive our God so we can let Him fill us up with what we need once we have passed through, totally relying on Him?
