“Go in through the narrow gate. The gate that leads to destruction is broad and the road wide, so many people enter through it. But the gate that leads to life is narrow and the road difficult, so few people find it.” Jesus: Matthew 7:13-14

Also Jesus: “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

Monday afternoon, scrolling through a bunch of “needs to be deleted” emails, I opened Bible Gateway’s “Verse of the Day,” read the scripture and then moved on. But the passage kept coming back into my head, demanding my attention.

To be clear, this is no optional writing assignment! I have to respond in this post, I am compelled to share these words. But do not make the mistake of thinking I am talking about people “getting sent to hell when they die.” Hell is simply where people find themselves when they are not with Jesus.

Hell is simply where people find themselves when they are not with Jesus.

What I am concerned about is people who are on the path to destruction in real time – this passage is all about “right now!”

Just as my definition of salvation is “participating in God’s initiatives today, joining in with God’s good work of peace, light, love, grace, justice, hope, healing, redemption, reconciliation (and so much more),” my understanding of the path that leads to destruction is also about our lived experience from day to day.

This day. Today.

My primary concern is this moment and then what comes next; the “path to destruction” is very real. Destruction of self, destruction of family, destruction of relationships, destruction of the gifts God has given us, destruction of other people’s lives – even children; the destruction of hope.

But wait, there is really good news too!

The good news – the really good news – is that this path is reversible. Actually, even better than reversible it is something – a stream if you like, a channel – that somebody can literally step out of. God’s hand reaches out, in the person of Jesus, and it is simply a matter of taking his hand and stepping out and into another path, another way. The Way.

Won’t you take his hand? It is not so fearful or so shameful as you might think. Destruction is very real, and the path to destruction may be wide open and so very easy to cruise along… but taking the hand of Jesus and simply stepping out is always an option. ALWAYS.

Jesus himself puts it like this: “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest…” This is a beautiful truth.

Fall into Jesus, feel the strong and inviting hand of goodness and mercy and real peace, let the open arms of real life welcome you in. Fall into Jesus, fall into Jesus and rest there, letting him absorb your angst and replacing it with grace. Exchange all of the hurt and the pain and the anger and the disappointment for real love. And forgive. Let his forgiveness wash over you and completely absolve you until you are a forgiving person too.

Because we all need it. We all need this grace and this forgiveness. We all need the freedom that forgiveness brings.

Each and every one of us…

In love, and because of love (the love that will not let us go) – DEREK