June 27

Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The high-way to hell is broad, and it’s gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 7:13&14). “There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). Like a river which carves it’s path where it is least resisted, so it is that most of us go through life making choices that create the fewest waves amongst others. Since few of us enjoy ridicule, we find ourselves most often walking on that road the vast majority are walking on in life. And Jesus clearly stated that the majority of the world are walking on that wide path, which leads to hell. There was nothing special about the people of Israel that God should choose them and bless them over any other nation (Deuteronomy 7:7-16). The fact is, God has promised to bless any nation that follows Him (Psalm 33:12). God chose to make a nation from the seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3), that He could use as a testimony to all nations of what happens when a nation of people choose to follow Him. But, all too often, Israel rejected God. More often than not, Israel adopted the evil practices of the nations around them instead of following God.
“Let those who are discerning listen carefully. The paths of the Lord are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them” (Hosea 14:9). Walking in God’s ways will rarely be the choice the majority around us are making. And following God’s Word may not always make us popular with the rest of the world. But, God’s ways are always the right ways, and wise people will always choose to walk in His ways, even if few others around us are doing the same.