Yesterday at church Bill Perdue, Rhondie and I were talking about the “narrow gate” in Matthew 7:13,14. The funny thing about that gate is as you walk, it gets narrower and narrower!

Bill commented that he’d done a word study on the word “narrow” and it literally means to squeeze, to pass through it minus some skin…

I looked it up this morning and sure enough, that’s what it means. Ever narrowing, to press as grapes, to contract… and get this… a related root word means (my favorite thing)… to shatter.

Another interesting thing is that the verse reads like this in the KJV*: “Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life…”

The word for “strait” (straight) is stenos. It’s an adjective that describes the gate.

Looking at this passage in English it’s easy to assume that “straight” and “narrow” are both adjectives. Straight describes gate, narrow describes way… right?

Not quite that simple.

Narrow (greek tethlimmen?, from thlib?) is a verb. Well, a verbal adjective. It’s a perfect passive participle.  Now, I’m not the best at parsing Greek (I can’t even parse English! LOL), but if I’m understanding this correctly, “perfect” means it’s an action that begins at one point and then the effect of the action is ongoing… passive means the action is done TO the subject, not BY the subject (gate is the subject), and a participle usually ends with “-ing”…

And so maybe this would be better translated as, “narrowing is the way…”

Which is exactly what happens in our walk with the Lord… as we learn and grow in relationship with Him, He expects more (to whom much is given, much is required…) Usually when we first come to the Lord, there’s a “sorting out” where obvious sins get chucked out the window. Less obvious things get weeded out over time. Then He goes after matters of the heart… areas of pride and religion, things we’ve “always done”, unhealed wounds… and as we walk, that way narrows and becomes more and more focused upon Him…

It’s not an easy process. Indeed, it’s left me shattered, shattered more, shattered again… I’ve come to love it. In fact my new favorite word is ????? … and the best part is, He doesn’t leave us shattered. He sets those who are shattered at liberty…

*People who have hung around for a while will remember that I really dislike the KJV. Well, I do. For everything but word studies.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives ALL your iniquities,
Who heals ALL your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

(Psalm 103:2-5)

So much energy is spent within the Church by people who are desperately trying to STAY sick!

Yes, you know what, if you’re sick, you should deal with it in a temporary fashion however seems best. Need a wheelchair? Ride in one. Need medicine? Take it. But seek healing. Seek the wholeness that God has PROMISED (and read 1 Cor 1:20 until it gets down deep inside of you).

Don’t get comfortable because your symptoms can be alleviated or you can “live with it” – that’s NOT God’s best.

I’ve mentioned this via twitter a time or two, now I’ll talk about it in more detail.

If you need a wheelchair van or specialized transportation for a disabled person, make sure you work with a NMEDA member dealer.

NMEDA is a non-profit trade association. They don’t sell anything, they educate consumers so they can make informed decisions, and the dealers who are members are required to adhere to very exacting safety standards for their handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.

Having used a wheelchair myself for a season, I can speak from experience – no two people are the same. Needs vary and you really do need an “in-person” evaluation to be sure you get the right driving or transportation solution for you. This is especially true if more than one driver will be using the vehicle, or if there is a child involved. Safety is paramount.

You also NEED to get hands-on training for using this specialty equipment. Improper use of equipment can lead to very dangerous, even fatal, situations.

For these reasons, you should always get an in-person evaluation from a NMEDA dealer, rather than purchasing a vehicle online or via a catalog.

In addition to regular dealers, NMEDA also has Quality Assurance Program Dealers. The QAP is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality.

In the Triad, Ilderton in High Point is the closest NMEDA Dealer (super-nice folks, I highly recommend them). You can go to the NMEDA website and look up where your closest dealer is (leave a comment and let me know where! Just curious! )

Registration is $25 and includes lunch; pay at the door. You must, however, register in advance and get details at New Day’s website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment here, email, or call me!