The Narrow Door: Trying Hard in Grace

S - Luke 13:22-27 (TLJ): "Jesus was teaching in every town and village. He continued to travel toward Jerusalem. Someone said to him, "Lord, how many people will be saved? Only a few?"  Jesus said, "The door to heaven is narrow. Try hard to enter it. Many people will want to enter there, but they will not be able to go in.  If a man locks the door of his house, you can stand outside and knock on the door, but he won't open it. You can say, 'Sir, open the door for us.' But he will answer, 'I don't know you. Where did you come from?'  Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you. You taught in the streets of our town.' The he will say to you, 'I don't know you. Where did you come from? Get away from me! You are all people who do wrong!'""

O - In this mixed up world there is this problem … not only are we always trying to determine who is "in" and who is "out" we're seriously and often way off on who that actually is.  I want to think I'm in, that I've entered the narrow door … but of course the Pharisees thought they were in and Jesus spent three years trying not only to convince them that they were out but to also come in. Why would Jesus tell us that not only is the door narrow but we must try hard to enter it and that there will be many who want to but won't? How hard is grace?  And, since all can come why would those who want in not be able to get in? The following thoughts are current in me:

1.       Grace is amazing but it is not accidental or haphazard.  The door is narrow because ONLY grace gains entrance not theology, lack of sinning or religious status.

2.       Grace isn't earned but it can be refused. We have to "try hard" because we must enter the narrow door every day, not just once somewhere in our "religious history." Jesus calls me/us every day to "enter the narrow door."

3.       I can want "in" among many other wants and some of those wants can easily be ahead of wanting in the narrow door.  Nothing/no one must be allowed to precede this "want" and need. Jesus makes this clear numerous times in his teaching the disciples and the crowds.

A - When it comes to determining who is "in" and who is "out" I am to be very quiet about conclusions--except for the 2x4 in my own eye.  The real issue for me/us is me/us not another. Am I entering the narrow door today? Am I trying hard so that nothing and no one precludes the undivided and pure devotion Jesus, who is the door, deserves?  Today while it is called today I need to remove the log from my own eye and turn into the door, narrow but welcoming, and try hard to go in.  Amazing!

P - Jesus who is the door,

Thank you for wanting all and for making the way for all and for inviting all to enter this specific portal of grace new every day.  Thank you for loving us at our worst and for working everything for good if we'll just love you back and stay called according to your purpose.  Today, I want to try hard and to do the work of believing … so that everything you have worked, dreamt, died and rose again for will transpire in me and through me according to grace.  Lord, I really do love you back!
Kata Karis*,
Steve

*Transliteration of Koine Greek for "according to grace"