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The Challenge of the Difficult, October 25
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek
to enter in, and shall not be able.
Luke 13:24
.
A strait gate means a gate difficult to enter. By this illustration Christ
showed how hard it is for men and women to leave the world and the
attractions it holds, and heartily and lovingly obey the commandments of
God. The wide gate is easy to enter. Entrance through it does not call for
the restrictions which are painful to the human heart. Self-denial and self-
sacrifice are not seen in the broad way. There depraved appetite and natural
inclinations find abundant room. There may be seen self-indulgence, pride,
envy, evil surmisings, love of money, self-exaltation
Said Christ, “Strive”—agonize—“to enter in....” We must feel our con-
tinual dependence upon God and the great weakness of our own wisdom
and our own judgment and strength, and then depend wholly upon Him
who has conquered the foe in our behalf, because He pitied our weakness
and knew we should be overcome and perish if He did not come to our
help.... Think not that by any easy or common effort you can win the eternal
reward. You have a wily foe upon your track. “To him that overcometh
will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set
down with my Father in his throne” (
Revelation 3:21
). Here is the battle to
overcome as Christ has overcome. His life of temptation, of trial, of toil
and conflict, is before us for us to imitate. We may make efforts in our
own strength, but not succeed. But when we fall all helpless and suffering
and needy upon the Rock of Christ, feeling in our inmost soul that our
victory depends upon His merits, that all our efforts of themselves without
the special help of the great Conqueror will be without avail, then Christ
would send every angel out of glory to rescue us from the power of the
enemy rather than that we should fall
We need to see that the way is narrow, and the gate strait. But as we
pass through the strait gate, the wideness is without limit
[305]
32
Manuscript 165, 1899
.
33
Letter 1b, 1873
.
34
Letter 138, 1897
.
314