Forward Movement is an official, non-profit agency of the Episcopal Church whose mission is to create compelling content for Christian living. Since 1935 we have published the quarterly devotional Forward Day by Day, as well as pamphlets, booklets, and books that encourage and nourish people in their lives of prayer and faith.
WEDNESDAY, September 30 (Jerome)
Matthew 7:13-21. The gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
How often have we been told that "you can't get something for nothing," "there is no free lunch," or "you must pay the piper"? These are all clichés with an element of truth.
There is a side of us that would like always to take the easy way. Television ads promising we will lose twenty pounds in a week with no dieting or exercise sound wonderful. The pill that will cure every ailment with no side effects makes us grab our credit card and call the 800 number in the next fifteen minutes. But these are all modern day false prophets.
In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, this reminder of the narrow gate and hard road is meant to keep us away from false prophets. There are no shortcuts to living our life so that it leads to the kingdom of heaven. Hard work, fervent prayer, sacrificial service, and abiding love--these are the signposts on the hard road of life. But if we follow them, they will lead us to the kingdom of God.
PRAY for the Diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich (Canterbury, England)
Ps 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30 * 119:121-144; 2 Kings 18:9-25; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.
A Meditation for Pentecost
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Thank you