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Today's Devotional

Read Luke 13:22–30.

The enquirer [seems to have been] some Jew from among the crowd, who perhaps had in mind the common opinion of the Jews, that salvation was their exclusive privilege, and wished to know what our Lord thought. To such a question of mere curiosity our Lord offered no direct answer: he rather directed the thoughts of the enquirer to his own duty. He reminded him that whether there were many or few, he would not be among the saved unless he were earnest and diligent. Strive to enter in at the narrow gate, he said; labor, wrestle, strain every nerve, put forth all your powers; do your very best; let nothing daunt or discourage you: let nothing induce you to relax your efforts or your watchfulness: strive to enter in at the narrow gate, for many will seek to enter in but will take no real pains, and so shall not be able. Many will find, when it is too late, that they are forever shut out, because they have not really sought as men who were determined not to fail.

Our Lord enforces this warning by a parable. He compares himself to the master of a house, who, when the guests have arrived and taken their places, rises from the table and shuts the door. Even those who had been invited, if they come too late, are shut out. In like manner some of those to whom Christ was speaking would find the door closed against them. They will call earnestly for admission but it will be of no avail.

They will even remind him that they had eaten and drunk in his presence. We, too, may plead having partaken of the Holy Communion of his body and blood, of our having heard and read his words all our lives long; but if we have depended on these things without strictness of life, if we have attempted to put anything else in place of sincere obedience to Christ’s commands, we shall find ourselves fearfully mistaken. The door will be shut against us because, with all our professions and fair appearances, with all our privileges and blessings, we have been workers of iniquity: we have not really ceased to do evil and learned to do well.

As of yet through God’s mercy, the door is still open, and we are invited to press in. Christ’s promise is, “Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.... Everyone that asks receives, and he that seeks finds, and to him that knocks it shall be opened.”

So long as the door is open we may crave and obtain admission. And by God’s patient mercy, that door is still open to every one of us. The door that received Aaron after his idolatry, that admitted David after his adultery, after his murder, that not only did not repel Peter after his threefold denial, but delivered its keys to be guarded by him—that door is open, but shall eventually be closed forever. 

About the author and the source

Each day of Peter Young’s readings included a three- to four-page reflection on selected words of Christ or an incident from the life of Christ. Today’s reading is condensed from one of those lengthy meditations. Young (who lived in the 19th century) was Rector of North Witham in Lincolnshire.