The Gate

     Imagine that you are walking on a stone path. The stones beneath your feet are rough and uneven. After what seems like an eternity, you come face to face with a gate. This gate is unlike anything you have ever seen. It is made of solid stone but has no lock on it. The gate before you swings easily on its hinges, although it appears to be of formidable size. You try to look through the gate to see what is beyond, but cannot. Anyone can enter, but no one will be forced.

     In Biblical times, the Israelites were given a beautiful example of our faith journey. The Tabernacle was constructed to be the dwelling place of God, but it was so much more. There was only one entrance – The eastern gate.  There was no other way. Jesus later said, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9, NIV)

    Our recovery journey begins with a choice. Will you enter through the gate? We all come to this point in our lives with different experiences. Perhaps you remember a time when you had a relationship with Jesus, or maybe you have never made that choice. Some who are reading this will have already encountered Jesus, others will have lost their way. No matter where we are in life, we all are faced with the same choice. The gate.

    Who is this Jesus? He is the gift of God for freedom. God freely gave us a part of Himself in the form of His Son Jesus. John 3:16 (TLB) says “For God loved the world so much that He gave His only son so that anyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Without the gift of Jesus, we would be lost. He was created to pay the price for our sin. In His infinite wisdom, God saw our need, and met us there.  Because of His great love for us, Jesus willingly went to the cross and died. He died so that we can have life. Without this gift, there would be no way for us to be saved from ourselves. We can never be good enough, or worthy enough to save ourselves. We have to pass through the Gate.

     This same Jesus is the One who heals and delivers us from our enemies. He is the One who loves us as a bridegroom loves His bride. He is our best friend who longs to walk this journey right beside us. There is no other like Him. This Gate is strong. No matter how hard the storms blow, it will never fail. Nothing can come against it. It is always open – ready for anyone to pass through. There are no conditions attached. Come as you are. The only thing asked of you is to say yes.

    How do you enter the Gate? There are three important questions:

1. Can you admit that you are not perfect? The Bible calls this sin.
2. Do you believe that God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to die for you?
3. Will you say yes to Jesus and walk through the Gate? He will be your Lord and Savior forever.

This same Gate is open for those who have already made this choice. It is a gate that opens to freedom, healing and new life. No matter how many mistakes we make, the gate is always open. Jesus is waiting for us to just say yes and walk through.