Like the Many or the Few?

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

—Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)

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Jesus has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few cross-bearers. Many desire His consolation, but few His tribulation. Many will sit down with Him at table, but few will share His fast. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few will suffer for Him.

Many will follow Him to the breaking of bread, but few will drink the bitter cup of His Passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus when all goes well with them, and praise Him when He does them a favor; but if Jesus conceals Himself and leaves them for a little while, they fall to complaining and become depressed.

They who love Jesus purely for Himself and not for their own sake bless Him in all trouble and anguish as well as in time of consolation. Even if He never sent them consolation, they would still praise Him and give thanks.

Oh how powerful is the pure love of Jesus, when not mixed with self-interest or self-love! They who think only of their own advantage, do they not show themselves to be lovers of self rather than of Christ? Where will a person be found ready to serve God without looking for a reward?

It is hard to find anyone so spiritual who is willing to be stripped of all things. Where will you find such a person truly poor in spirit and free from all attachment to creatures? Such a one is a rare treasure brought from distant shores.

—Thomas a Kempis (The Imitation of Christ)

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Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

—Job 13:15 (NKJV)

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O, beloved! Let us not be like the many, but the few! (joyful, hopeful) Let our faith be thus—that we can say with humble, holy confidence: ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.’

O, beloved—the Love we know here is this way, is it not? (tender) Ours is a Love that says, ‘It matters not to me whether we are rejoicing and feasting, or curled up on the floor in utter despair—for as long as we are Together, this is all that matters to me. I will delight to be whatever you are, whatever you need. Whether in bitterness or sweetness, in aching or exulting—it matters not as long as we are One.’

We need not be so quick to try and escape the suffering we find here, my precious one. (gentle) We need not be so quick to look for the gift, the reward, the consummation. (extra tender) If we are Together, with Him, does the state of our circumstances, the state of our emotions, the state of our condition even need to enter our consciousness at all? (pondering) The reality of our Oneness means that in All Things, whether ‘good’ or ‘bad’—Love remains. And what more do we need, beloved? (gentle, earnest) If we have Love, which we do—Love Himself, and the glorious manifestation or ‘double witness’ of His Love here and now—what more could He possibly give? (perplexed, amazed, entirely grateful)

There is a way that leads to Life, beloved. A way that is Love. And we know the way! He has graciously revealed it, revealed Himself, to us! O, beloved—we will not be swept away in the destruction; we will not be found upon the wide, easy path—nay! The gate is narrow and the way is hard, beloved, but it leads to Life, to Love—and we are blessed to tread upon it, Together.