Lenten Reader | Day 25

March 13th, 2024

I Am the Gate

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:7-10

Have you ever visited somewhere for the first time and walked up to enter and wondered, "which door should I knock on?" "Which door will be unlocked for me to get inside?" It can sometimes be intimidating not knowing exactly how to get in. 

In the passage above, Jesus is telling us that he is that unlocked door; the entry point to have a relationship with God. This world is filled with forces trying to lead us in the opposite direction of Christ. They try to encourage us to believe that we can enter the gate through other avenues, and we sometimes can get caught up in the materialistic parts of life which can all rob us of our chance of a true relationship with God. We must redirect our energy and make God a priority. He deserves more than our leftovers. We must not just look in the window or talk to those that are on the inside; we must enter. Jesus gives us all an open invitation – all we have to do is accept it.    

Lord, I pray that you give me the spiritual life my soul desires to have. To give me the freedom to live without fear or anxiety. Thank you for the open invitation to come to you, to set us free, and to lead us through the gate for eternal life.  

Stefanie Knisley