Narrow Gates

^{Matthew 7:14 -- "}For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

image: Crystal Cave of the Giants in Naica, Mexico [eyeflare.com]

Big beads of sweat collected on every pore as the mine workers hacked away at the limestone walls in search of silver, zinc, and lead. A relatively old mine [the Naica mine has been worked since the early 1900's] the diggers were thrilled when they discovered a new chamber that broke far away from the main excavation. No one could guess that just on the other side of the walls on which they were chipping away at old rock - there lay a beautiful room of giant gypsum crystal.

No living soul had ever seen the likes of the cathedral into which the miners broke. But little could be done in exploration after the initial discovery. The chamber was not only filled with water that had to be drained - but temperatures soared to unbearable degrees. Just a few short miles below the ragged dusty steel toed boots of each diligent digger there bubbled and gurgled a large magma reservoir. One could only withstand the hot and heavy air for a few minutes before lungs would fill with fluid and the heat would drive the body to collapse. After stumbling across this unique but deadly crystal chamber in the year 2000 - precautions were created to provide Geologists a safe way to study the amazing subterranean find. 

It's a place where few dare to tread - even with the ingenious creation of the world's first and only "ice suits". Each suit is lined with a long vest outfitted with square pockets that contain frozen water and dry ice, around which a hermetic suite is shrugged on and zipped up tight. Backpacks that contain air-conditioned breather tanks are strapped on and connected to sealed helmets that provide oxygen for each explorer. Large bladed fans line the "camp" set up just outside the entry way of the Cave of Crystals and there is a decompression type tent set up to deal with the severe dehydration and heat stroke that occur regularly.

It's no wonder that few eyes have personally witnessed the splendor that lays inside the crystal chamber. The way is difficult and perilous. ...But oh the magnificence that meets the eye once inside. Giant gypsum formations gleam with the beam of hand-held torches and glisten with amazing iridescence and sparkle with rainbows of refracted light. It would be easy for one to believe that they were somehow teleported to an alien world. There is no other discovered place on the planet like it.

Can you see yourself there? Tracing gloved fingers along the smooth gypsum surface and feasting on the embarrassment of riches created by heat, water, and minerals? Just imagine it!

Only a handful of determined human beings have ever laid eyes on the brilliance of the Cave of Crystals. It isn't likely that many more will be afforded a precious glimpse of these wonders in person. The rest of us will have to settle for photographs and stories.

In Matthew Jesus explains to us that the way is narrow to the gateway of life. Not many will find it because the ways is so difficult. He didn't mean that it was difficult to accept the Grace of God and accept the forgiveness that comes with the shed blood of Jesus Christ. He meant that - for so many, the shimmer and glitz of a worldly life is just too much to give up. Jesus was talking about giving up ALL of oneself to the will of God. 

I can see where that might present a problem for some. Just like those that hope to reach the depths of the Naica mines - there are things that need to be done in order for you and I to enter the narrow pathway into the presence of God our Father. And - even for those who have managed to don the gear required for crystal exploration - the whole of the rigorous preparation is sometimes needed more than once. At least - it is if the explorer wants to get back into the cave. Putting on the ice suite once and then leaving the chamber won't provide protection should a person want to go back inside. No, they will need to go through all the steps that offer them protection - just as they did the first time. 

When we make a choice to follow Jesus - there ARE a few things we need to do. We need to be obedient, to we need to have faith that God's plan is so much better than our own. And we need to make the conscious decision to live for Jesus every single day. And if the going gets tough - sometimes we need to hand our will over to the Lord moment by moment.

No, the way is not easy. But oh the wonderful riches that lay just on the other side. I wouldn't miss it for anything of this world.