URC Daily Devotion Tuesday 18th November 2025

St Matthew 7: 13 – 14

Jesus said: ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Reflection – The Narrow Road

When we lived in Devon, Google Maps would often send us down tiny farm tracks to shave two minutes off the journey. Sometimes those “shortcuts” felt like adventures; other times they were a nerve-wracking crawl between hedgerows with the prospect of a tractor or horse around each corner.

This summer, driving around the top of Scotland, we met a different kind of narrow road –  single-track roads with passing places, which take on a special edge when you’re towing a caravan and your reversing skills aren’t exactly Olympic standard. I loved it. I like being off the beaten track, where each bend might reveal a loch, a deer, or a view you’d miss from the main road.  Lythan much prefers the safety and predictability of a six-lane motorway, where you know what’s coming and can relax into the drive and do your crochet (not while driving!)

When Jesus spoke of the “narrow gate” and “narrow road” in Matthew 7:13–14, he wasn’t talking about literal roads, but about the way of life that leads to fullness. The broad road is easy, fast, and full of company. The narrow road takes deliberate choice, patience, and sometimes a bit of humility when you have to reverse to let someone else through.

Following Christ can feel like those single-track roads –  not as quick, not as comfortable, and certainly not as popular. But you notice more along the way: the beauty of small moments, the joy of unexpected encounters, the satisfaction of knowing you’re on a path few choose, but one worth travelling. You learn that speed is overrated, and that depth often comes from detours.

Perhaps the question isn’t whether we prefer motorways or farm tracks, but whether we’re willing to take the route that Jesus points out –  the one that asks for trust, attentiveness, and a willingness to let go of hurry. That’s the road that leads to life.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
You call us to follow you along paths that aren’t always easy or wide.
Give us courage when the way feels slow,
patience when it is narrow,
and joy in the journey you share with us.
Keep our eyes on you,
so that we may walk faithfully to the end,
and find life in all its fullness.
Amen.