At a Fork in the Road

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Matthew 7:13-14

Have you ever noticed that a fork in the road only ever has two possible directions? One can choose to go this way or that. Right or left. But to continue one must choose a direction. Most of the time these are figurative forks in the road. One must choose not right or left, but right or wrong. Truth or lie. Give or keep. Sober or drunk. Child or... not. Sleep or church. To speak up or keep silent. Put out or keep sacred. Forgive or hold a grudge.

The LORD says that there are two paths. One can choose the narrow road or the broad one. But he never says that once you are on one road that you will or have to stay on it. Only a few find the narrow way. Surely there are people along that path who are bound to encourage and guide the way. But it may not always be easy. There are turns in life that are hard to navigate. It's easier to find your way around when the path is wider... when you have a little wiggle room. But salvation waits there.

He says there are many people on the broad path. But there is destruction there; hard times and hard consequences. But I wonder if it is broad so that there is room to turn around... and find the forgiveness He offers.

that they may be one

20 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23 TNIV)

I thought we had agreed to get rid of all the difficult stuff . . . no, oh well.

Looking at the fragmented, frustrating, mess of Christian denominations it is difficult to see any unity. Looking at the infighting and bickering in the Restoration movement is is nearly impossible to glimpse Christian love. So what happened to Jesus' prayer?

Last weekend I attended the Converge conference in Bellevue, and learned about the Alpha course. In short, Alpha is an introduction to the basics of the Christian faith. I think you should look into it, it has some really great things to offer, but that's not the point of this post.

Alpha was developed by the Anglican church in London, it has been experienced by 11 million people around the world. I saw Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Church of Christ-ians, Baptists, Methodists, Catholics, etc. all in one room working toward one end worshiping as one body. I heard a Lutheran pastor emphasize to the group that in the New Testament adult baptism was the primary way which people expressed their conversion to faith. I saw an Anglican pastor talk about the powerful work of the Holy Spirit transforming people's lives. I saw a Baptist emphasize the need for free will in the relationship between humanity and God.

If you don't know, pretty much all of those things are way out of character for those denominations.

Last weekend I saw the answer to Jesus' prayer. I saw Christians from around the world and from across the denominational spectrum unite around the issue of sharing the good news of the kingdom. I wish it weren't so amazing - I wish it were common.

Your Kingdom Come

Matthew 6:10 - Jesus teaches us to pray:
"your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven"

Today I have to think about what this really means. I have heard Christians praying that John McCain win the election with the assumption that he is God's preferred candidate. I have heard of vile e-mails being sent that portray Barack Obama as evil. I have also heard Christians praying that Obama win and statements vilifying McCain.

I will pray for these men that they hold up well under stress today, that they will be loving and faithful husbands, that they will be strong fathers. But I don't think that Jesus would pray for one person to be elected over another. Jesus isn't thinking about one party versus another or one person versus another. Jesus is desperate to show people the in-breaking of the kingdom of God into a hurting world.

Jesus wants us to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth.

I don't think it really matters who rules the 'kingdom' of this country. What matters is if the kingdom of God is being made manifest.