“But is it possible [to do God’s will]? Jesus’ answer is a resounding yes! His will is not a maze to navigate — one wrong move and we’re disqualified. Life with Jesus is so much better than that. The narrow path is not a trick; it’s an invitation to know and love God.”- Rich Villodas
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”- Matthew 7:21 (NIV)
In Chapter 11 (“Our Decisions”) of The Narrow Path, Rich Villodas notes that as Jesus nears the end the Sermon on the Mount, he reiterates a theme He’s emphasized throughout the sermon. That God sees the depths of our hearts. Hence, our all-seeing God calls us to a life of self-examination. A life recognizing the inevitability of self-deception.
Yet, at the heart of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 7:21-23, Rich stresses, we find grace. Because Jesus loves us so much that He refuses to play games with the truth. Consequently, Jesus invites us into a life of:
- knowing God, not just knowing about God.
- presence, not posturing.
- being with God, not simply doing things for Him.
Thus, our spirituality must not separate motive from mission. Jesus calls us to live a congruent life. A life unfractured and secure.
Above all, Rich observes, it’s easy to do Christian things for the wrong motives. In Reflections on the Psalms, C. S. Lewis wrote:
“If the Divine all does not make us better, it will make us very much worse. Of all bad men, religious bad men are the worst. Of all created beings the wickedest is one who originally stood in the immediate presence of God (emphasis Rich’s).”
In conclusion, Rich counsels, the broad path teems with wolves. So, he asks, how do we avoid those wolves? Or, more poignantly, how do we avoid turning into one? Therefore, the author exhorts, ask this fundamental question: Am I on a journey to really know him, or have I been using him for my own benefit?
Today’s question: When do you see God’s will as a maze to navigate? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Spiritual self-deception”