Hey Wangler, there’s a guy at the gate for you.
The Gate. Jesus is not trying to back door his way into your life. He will come in by the gate. He’s a front door Savior. If you let him in you’ll discover He IS the gate. No deception. No pretending. No bait and switch. He’s not trying to get a foot in the door, he wants to call you out of it, but ultimately it’s your call.
(Here’s kinda how He worded it to me.)
Hey Brian, I’m Jesus.
Yup, the Son of God, Messiah, Your’ Redeemer, Good Shepherd, the Lion of Judah and all that.
Okay, it’s time to go. You’ve been in this pen long enough. It stinks and is too small. Is there even a bathroom back there?
Before we go there’s a few things you need to know. This is a big-boy journey. On one hand, it won’t be about you. Yeah I know, sheep hate that part. On the other hand, if you don’t make it about you I can do things that will leave you believing at the end of the day it was all about you. Trust me.
You’ll need to get good at washing feet, turning the other cheek, going the extra mile, listening more than talking, admitting when you’re wrong, and shutting up when you’re right.
Now don’t misunderstand me, I’m about to take you on the journey of a lifetime. You will pasture in unbelievable places and experience amazing moments. You will see things you never imagined. We will laugh. We will cry. You will get lost, but I will come find you. You’ll make it your life’s mission to bump heads and I’ll make it mine to put oil on yours and everyone you bump into. I will watch over you every step of the way. We will help people and a bunch of people will help us.
Hear me. Now get this: If you follow me you will live your very best life, and you’ll love the way it ends, actually it won’t end…but what follows will make this decision look ridiculously easy in hindsight.
So what do you think?
You in?
1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. (John 10:1-3)
