Voices of the Middle East - Walking The Narrow Road
“Narrow is the road that leads to life,” Jesus says in Matthew 7:14b, “and only a few find it.”
Even those of us who have walked that narrow road for a good while can drift off track sometimes.
We need a nudge in the right direction – towards the path of life and away from the wide gate that “leads to destruction”.
A nudge towards the path of life might look like a spouse reminding you of God’s faithfulness, a prayer partner helping you rediscover the call on your life, or a colleague encouraging you to align your vision with the Kingdom of God.
A nudge away from the road to destruction might look like a friend challenging you to fight against temptation, a Bible teacher helping you to resist a spiritual attack, or a prophetic voice warning God’s people to avoid certain habits or ideas.
But what about when we completely lose sight of the narrow road? When we feel a million miles away from it?
Maybe you’ve experienced it. God feels distant; the Christian life seems unliveable; the cares of the world are strangling your faith. Your physical or mental health might even start to plummet.
Maybe you are saying, along with King David in Psalm 69:2, “I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.”
SAT-7 TÜRK viewer Adil knows these feelings all too well.
“I was so bad and depressed that I cannot explain,” Adil shared with us. He was desperate to find a way out of the darkness.
We gave Adil a nudge in the right direction, simply encouraging him to find a local church.
“From the website you directed me to, I found a church address and started attending,” Adil explained to us. “The pastor was very good to me.”
It is often that first step that feels like the hardest. But with God’s Spirit inside us, helping us and guiding us, we can find our way. For Adil, connecting with his local church was a lifeline, a vital step that led to a cascade of positive change.
In a follow-up message, Adil said: “My life has completely changed. My life is now all about Jesus Christ and the Bible is my guide. I have lived all these years in vain and I only want to serve God for the rest of my life. Thank you very much for your contribution.”
The powerful combination of SAT-7’s programs and the work of the local church is helping Adil walk the narrow road to life.
“You have really been a light and a guide for me,” Adil explained. “[My pastors] teach me all about the path I am on. Jesus Christ has become my only way, my only remedy.”
Has a word of encouragement ever got you back on track?
For our staff, who work so hard to help Christians in the MENA, encouraging feedback can go a long way. To hear that Adil has been so helped by our ministry is both rewarding and motivating for our team.
Adil also said this to the team at SAT-7 TÜRK: “I watch your channel with great joy, you are addressing all audiences and you have very informative and instructive programs. You shine the light of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
But more important than any encouragement we might take from our viewers is the work that God is doing in their lives.
Adil shared: “I can't tell you how good it feels to be a Christian. It is something else. God bless you and your programs.”
Adil’s story reminds us that one small answer to prayer or a simple nudge in the right direction can be the beginning of great change.
Be encouraged!
Though you might feel far from God, though you may have strayed from the narrow path, though you might have experienced the depths like SAT-7 viewer Adil, our God is mighty to save.
The name of Jesus – Yeshua – means rescuer. He is in the business of lifting people out of despair. King David also experienced this personally. “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire,” he says in Psalm 40 verse 2. “He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.”
You might only be one step away from beginning a journey of restoration. So look out for that nudge, and get ready to start walking.
Let us pray that Adil’s faith will continue to be strengthened.
Let us consider where we are in our faith. Are we confidently walking on the narrow road, or have we gone off track? Let us pray that God will help us, and those around us, to walk towards the abundant life He offers us.
Consider if God might want to use you to nudge somebody in the right direction this week.
