King’s Highway–Part 2

Yesterday I posted the first part of this devotional, given at our Ladies Meeting on Tuesday. It was the story of a king who created a highway, invited anyone interested to walk it and the best contestant would win a box of gold, who won it and why. Here’s part of what I added in the devotional – the remainder will be tomorrow’s post:

You’ll notice there is not much history for the travelers. Some are shown to be wealthy, some are shown to be poor. All were on the same journey. While this reminds me just a bit of the Good Samaritan story, we’re not told anything about their religious beliefs, either. Keep that in mind.

I was also reminded of the road Jesus described in Matthew 7:14:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

While we walk upon that narrow way as Christians, we are also publicly walking along with people of the world. Our paths cross often, and sometimes people crossing find their way onto that narrow path with us. Some may lag along behind us a bit as they stop to learn along the way. Others catch on quickly and speed ahead of us. Sometimes there are obstacles along that path.

It’s not so much that our Lord places obstacles in our path – there is an adversary that works hard to get us to leave that narrow way. Peter describes him in 5:8:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Did you notice that Peter calls him “your adversary”? Matthew Henry’s commentary explains how Peter describes him:

By his characters and names. (1.) He is an adversary: “That adversary of yours; not a common adversary, but an enemy that impleads you, and litigates against you in your grand depending cause, and aims at your very souls.” (2.) The devil, the grand accuser of all the brethren; this title is derived from a word which signifies to strike through, or to stab. He would strike malignity into our natures and poison into our souls. If he could have struck these people with passion and murmuring in their sufferings, perhaps he might have drawn them to apostasy and ruin. (3.) He is a roaring lion, hungry, fierce, strong, and cruel, the fierce and greedy pursuer of souls.
2. By his business: He walks about, seeking whom he may devour; his whole design is to devour and destroy souls. To this end he is unwearied and restless in his malicious endeavours; for he always, night and day, goes about studying and contriving whom he may ensnare to their eternal ruin.

Paul writes a couple of times in First Thessalonians that we are to comfort one another – first in 4:8 and again in 5:11

Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

(continued Thursday)