Narrow Door Cafe

Welcome to another daily encouragement from the Our Daily Bread devotional. Our reading, titled Narrow Door Cafe, was written by Po Fang Chia. Croissants, dumplings, pork curry, and all sorts of scrumptious food await those who find and enter the Narrow Door Cafe. Located in the Taiwanese city of Tainan, this cafe is literally a hole in the wall. Its entrance is barely 40 centimeters wide, just enough for the average person to squeeze his way through.

Yet despite the challenge, this unique cafe has attracted large crowds. Will this be true of the narrow door described in Luke chapter 13, verses 22 through 30? Someone asked Jesus, Are only a few people going to be saved? In reply, Jesus challenged the person to make every effort to enter through the narrow door to God's kingdom. He was essentially asking, Will the saved include you? Jesus used this analogy to urge the Jews not to be presumptuous. Many of them believed they'd be included in God's kingdom because they were Abraham's descendants or because they kept the law. But Jesus challenged them to respond to him before the owner of the house closes the door.

Neither our family background nor our deeds can make us right with God. Only faith in Jesus can save us from sin and death. The door is narrow, but it's wide open to all who put their faith in Jesus. He's inviting us today to seize the opportunity to enter through the narrow door to his kingdom. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Luke chapter 13, verses 22 through 30.

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, Lord, are only a few people going to be saved? He said to them, Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, Sir, open the door for us. But he will answer, I don't know you or where you come from. Then you will say, We ate and drank with you and you taught in our streets.

But he will reply, I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me all you evildoers. There will be weeping there and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.

Indeed, there are those who are last who will be first and first who will be last. Let's pray. Jesus, thank you for inviting us into your kingdom. We pray for those who don't know you yet.

May their hearts be softened by hearing that you love them so much that you died for them and want them to be a part of your family. May they open the door and let you in. Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening today. My name is Toni Collier and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.