U-Turns Allowed

There is a song I love to listen to by Rick Pino, it’s called The Narrow Road.

“Let me walk with You on the narrow road

I know it may get lonely, but I know Iʼm not alone

Iʼll seek You in the wilderness, I know thatʼs where You are

You whisper like the breeze, Youʼre speaking to my heart

The wide gate looks so beautiful but destruction is its end

Go against the stream, my friend, and stand where angels fear to tread

At Your feet I lay my crowns

With my tears I sow into those who will one day

Know the glory of the narrow road”

It’s difficult to be the one who swims against the stream, to feel like you’re the only one who is taking that narrow path Jesus has called us to. But we must remember that even though at times we feel alone we are never alone because Jesus has promised He will not leave us alone as if we were orphans. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18 NIV and Jesus never breaks His promises. As I wrote about yesterday, we can trust Him.

In the 3^rd line of the song he wrote “I’ll seek You in the wilderness, I know that’s where You are, You whisper like the breeze, You’re speaking to my heart.” I know that is usually where I find my closest times with Jesus, the times when everything else has been stripped away and I’ve been laid bare before Him. Recently I went through a time of trial that can only be described as fiery. It burned away everything I had ever put any confidence in. Health…gone. Daycare…gone. Career…gone. Future plans…gone. God allowed everything to be stripped away that I had put my dependence in to show me I was depending on the wrong things. I worked at the same job for 18 years and I had every confidence I would retire from there, now I know I am completely dependent upon God for…well, everything. I wouldn’t trade these trials He’s allowed in my life for anything because they’ve drawn me closer to Him and shown me what is of eternal value. People, not money or the things money can buy. People are the only thing we will take to Heaven with us.

Read the last 2 lines of this song, the lyrics say it all. “With tears we sow into those who will one day know the glory of the narrow road.” As we make the choice to deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follow Jesus on the narrow road; we aren’t alone, and Jesus isn’t the only One with us. There are generations watching us. The world is watching us. As we choose to say no to the culture of the world and yes to a life that honors Jesus it may seem that no one will care if we watch a movie the Holy Spirit convicts us of, or if we join in the gossip that is going on at the office or even in the Church, or wear the clothes that draw people to our flesh, the skirt that is short or the blouse that with the plunging neckline but there are generations watching, within the Church and within the world and they will follow in our footsteps. The world wants to know what makes us different and the Church wants to see the same, do we really believe what we say. Where will our footsteps lead them? To a wide gate that leads to destruction or on a narrow road that few find. Let’s remember why we’re here, we’re voyagers in a distant land that is not our home trying to take as many people home with us. We can say what we say we believe all we want but our lifestyles speak volumes and if they don’t line up with our words then we are deceiving ourselves about which road we are traveling.

If as you read this you are finding yourself being swept with a crowd down a road that is wide but the Holy Spirit has pricked your heart about following Him down the Narrow Road remember that U-turns are allowed here! All you have to do is ask Him for directions, repent of your sins, pick up your cross and follow Him. It may seem overwhelming to be able to walk the Narrow Road, and on our own we are unable to do it; but with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives within each and every follower of Jesus Christ as we submit our will to Him then we will be able to walk the path He places before us.

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13