The Bride of Christ’s Narrow Gate
Jul 19, 2019, 11:08 PM
Rescued Sheep
This February I had a powerful dream about entering through the narrow gate.
In the dream I found myself being driven to my own wedding in a wide, black car. I was being driven by an old friend, accompanied by another friend, who was also wearing a wedding dress. It was completely black outside, and we were driving through an open field, not necessarily on any one road or path. Then we approach a tunnel made of dirt/mud. We try to drive the car through it, but it’s too wide and tall to get through. So my friend and I , in our wedding dresses, get out and start crawling to my wedding on our hands and knees. The other friend who was driving didn’t try to make it. As we got closer to the wedding, the tunnel got so narrow that it only fit the size of our bodies; no room to bring anything else.
I enter the wedding and take notice of how large the venue was. There were people everywhere. Swinging on swings, sitting on couches, dancing with each other. As I walk into the bar area I notice everyone is talking about and drinking a grey alcoholic apple-flavored drink (the apple is symbolic of man’s sin, but the alcohol itself was a personal conviction for me and what I was getting delivered from during that time). Ready to get married, still in my dress, I walk out of the bar and walk into the ceremony area. As I’m standing there alone, I become really sad and disappointed because even though there were a lot of people there, I didn’t see anyone that I had expected to. I was also confused because nobody was ready to watch me get married. Nobody was paying attention or even sitting in the center of the venue, which is where the ceremony was to take place. Instead they were all distracted and enjoying themselves around the perimeter of the venue. Even my closest friends had found another building within the venue to hang out in instead.
End dream, but it doesn’t end there.
A few days later as I was still thinking about the dream and processing, I listened to an Austin Stone sermon in my car as I was driving to my friend’s house. This was the same friend who tried to get through the tunnel with me in her wedding dress (I never saw her at the wedding after I saw her in the tunnel). In real life, I was heading to her house to help her with some wedding crafts for her upcoming wedding. The sermon I was listening to was on Ephesians 5: 1-20, how we must walk as children of the light and not be “mixed” with one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom (alcoholic drink in dream was grey. White + black, light + dark, mixed). That same evening happened to be my friend’s fiancé’s bachelor party and they were out doing…things that a lot of people do at bachelor parties..among other things. Let’s just say all of the things were done that night. Anyway, out of nowhere that evening, the same old friend who was driving the black car in the dream, shows up to my girlfriend’s house. He had accidentally gotten separated from the bachelor group for…doing a number of things we won’t mention, and under the influence of a number of things, made a complete scene right there in the middle of the kitchen. And, for whatever reason, he didn’t seem to like the fact that I was there. It was really the strangest night ever. I never go to that friend’s house to begin with, nor could I remember the last time I had seen the lost bachelor group member. The chances of me being in the same room as both of them, both representing parts of the dream I had just days before, with all of it tying in with the sermon I had listened to hours before, was a lot to take in. I was still a little shaken from the way this guy had acted the next morning, and after getting home and praying, I unintentionally flipped my Bible open to the Narrow and Wide Gates. Matthew 7:13-14. Closed my Bible, did some house work, returned to the Bible again, and unintentionally flipped it right back to the same page in Matthew 7.
The Narrow and Wide Gates
13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
This has been a life saving and changing message for me. Around this time I was in some heavy spiritual warfare and coming out of decades of darkness. And believing the lie of “once saved always saved so I can do whatever I want” kind of mentality. Walking out of the wide darkness and into the obedience and light of the straight and narrow. When I think about the grave God pulled me out of and His goodness, it’s too good to not share! So I hope this encourages some other very imperfect brother or sister out there. Trust and surrender. Lay down the desires and distractions of this world and enter through the narrow gates.
Ephesians 5:1-20
1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God
In Christ,
Rescued Sheep
