Rusty Nail

Jesus calls to us, "Come to the narrow path, there is life here!  Come to the narrow path, where righteousness dwells!"

He says, "Come to the narrow path and I will give you My Spirit!  I will show you My ways!  I will feed you the bread of heaven and the water of life!"

We say, "The path is too narrow and Your bread is disagreeable to our belly and Your water is bitter to my understanding.  Besides, the world offers a banquet full of the desires of my own heart.  I can eat all of the things I love, as much as I want.  Why should I empty my heart of my own desires so that it can be filled with Yours?  Your desires crucify my flesh.  If You truly loved me, You would let me have the things I love."

Jesus says, "But the things you love are not Me.  You do not love My ways and you do not love Me, so the things you love will betray you in the end and lead you to death.  I will never betray you, I will lead you to life, a life that is yet to come."

We say, "I do not want a life yet to come, I want life now. My faith is in what I can see, in what I can understand."

Jesus says, "If your faith is in what you can see and understand, that is not faith at all, it is reasoning.  If you would trust Me and turn away from your own reasoning and empty your heart of its own desires, I would fill it with heavenly treasures and everlasting life.  Come, dig in my field and find treasure."

We say, "I do not have time to dig, I am too busy.  Besides, perhaps I will dig and never find anything.  Perhaps I will dig and my time will be wasted.  I cannot dig when I do not know what I am digging for."

Jesus says, "If you dig you will find a rusty nail.  You can have it and keep it if you sell all you own and buy my field."

We say, "Ha!  A rusty nail?  What good would a rusty nail do for me?  Sell all I own for a rusty nail that can do nothing for me?  No, I will keep my desires and I will keep my possessions and You can keep Your worthless rusty nail."

The weary world-worn traveler says, "I have nothing to give but my trust, may I have Your nail?  I could use Your nail as a peg upon which to hang my dwindling hopes.  I could use Your field to plant a garden and build a dwelling, not only for myself, but for other weary travelers.  We could have food and shelter in Your field and hang our hopes upon Your nail.  I will take Your nail, if You will take my trust."

Jesus says, "I will take your trust, and give you heaven.  You have taken My nail and received forgiveness of your sins, a price you could never pay.  Because you have given Me your trust and taken My rusty nail, you will be with Me in paradise.  In My field you will sow faith and reap righteousness.  Your emptied heart will be filled with heavenly treasures and everlasting life."

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it. (Matt 13:44-46).

Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow is the path that leads to life, and there are few who find it.  (Matt 7:13,14)