152. Путь

Like the path from village to village and from city to city, that is our life, Christian! For our life is a path along which we constantly walk. Whether we are asleep or awake, we always follow this path. We ascend to this path when we are born; we end it when we die. This path is very long for some, very short for others, but its end is unknown to anyone, for we do not know when we will finish it. This is how the Lord who provides for us has determined that we always expect the end and prepare ourselves for it. We see that the visible path is sometimes spacious and wide, and sometimes cramped and narrow. So the path of our life is sometimes spacious and wide, and sometimes narrow and cramped. But we will see how long and how narrow the path of our life is, and from here we will know to what end both lead. On the long path there is unbelief, on the narrow path there is living faith. On the wide path there is fearlessness, on the narrow path there is the fear of God, On the wide path there is self-will and disobedience, on the narrow path there is obedience and obedience. On the long path there is immoderate pride, on the narrow path there is love of God and brotherly love. On the wide path there is love for the vanity of the world, on the narrow path there is aversion from it. On the long path there is a search for honor, glory and wealth of this world, on the narrow path there is contempt for all this. On the long path there is luxury and carnality; on the narrow path there is moderation, fasting and abstinence. On the wide path there is pride and pomp, on the narrow path there is humility. On the wide path there is every sin and lawlessness, on the narrow path there is every virtue. On the wide path there is fornication, adultery and all uncleanness, on the narrow path there is chastity and purity. On the long path there is drunkenness, and from it all lawlessness; on the narrow path there is sobriety and decorum. On the wide path there is theft, theft, robbery, violence and all kinds of untruth, on the narrow path there is removal from all this and the creation of truth. On the long path there is anger, rage, resentment, and vengeance in word and deed; on the narrow path there is contempt for vengeance, meekness and patience. On the wide path there is cruelty, ferocity and cruelty, on the narrow path there is mercy and compassion. On the long path - slander, contempt, condemnation and reproach of one's neighbor, on the narrow path - abstinence from all this and prudent silence. On the long path there are lies, deceit, cunning and hypocrisy, on the narrow path there is simplicity of heart and a word that agrees with the heart’s thoughts. In a word, on the long path - word, deed and thought that are contrary to God’s will and His holy word; on the narrow path - true repentance - its fruits - good deeds. You see, Christian, the long and narrow path of our life. The long path is disgusting to God and therefore not pleasing to Him; The narrow path agrees with His holy will, and therefore is pleasing to Him. The long way leads a man to destruction, but the narrow way leads him to life. Satan calls and attracts everyone to the wide path, but Christ the Lord, who suffered and died for all, calls everyone away and calls them to the narrow path. Judge, man, whom to listen to: Christ or Satan, and which path to follow: wide or narrow, to destruction or to life. Christ the Lord wants to bring you into eternal life, as He who loved you and your Deliverer; but Satan, as your true adversary, wants to bring you with him to eternal destruction. Hear the words of your Savior worthy of memory, and deepen them in your heart, learn from them, and listen to them and yourself: Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go through it; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life, and few find it (Matthew 7:13–14). According to this, His holy apostle teaches: Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Guide me, O Lord, in Thy path, and I will walk in Thy truth; Let my heart rejoice, fearing Your name (Ps. 85:11). What does the entire 119th Psalm teach us about? He teaches how we should pray, so that the Lord Himself will guide us on His path, and support us on it, and lead us along it. You might be interested in: