A GATE TO NOWHERE

My Photo-May, 2012

We were camping on a nearby mountain. I went for a short walk around the area and discovered  two gates. One in particular captured my attention.  It looked like a gate, blocked like a gate, opened like a gate - but it lead nowhere.    There was no road on the other side.  Nothing on the other side needed to be contained. I couldn't find a purpose for the gate.  It was nothing more than a Gate to Nowhere.

I've heard of a road to nowhere but this was my first time to see a gate to nowhere.  Segments of life can resemble a gate to nowhere. There is far too much nonsense consuming our time and energy, leaving us dissatisfied and wanting more out of life.

A Gate to Nowhere (pertaining to life) might be worry, doubt, maybe a critical spirit, sin, anger...get my drift?  Negative thoughts serve no purpose and will get you nowhere.   I was driving back from Texas a few days ago and caught myself sinking emotionally and mentally...because of negative thoughts.  Immediately I captured the thoughts and began to speak aloud:  Lift it Up!  Lift it Up!  Lift it Up!  I scribbled these three words  on a notepad while driving!  Lift it Up!  I continued to talk out loud:  You don't have to think like this.  You can think differently.  Lift up your head.  Lift up those thoughts!  Come on!  It's not like this.  Lift it Up!

It worked!  I didn't open a Gate to Nowhere! 

From a sermon (not mine): People with a clear-cut sense of purpose can withstand many challenges, inconveniences, and difficulties that others cannot. They do not give up. They do not break the 11th commandment — “Thou Shalt Not Whine.”

I must not open a gate called Self-Pity.  Someone said, "If you get into the habit of self-pity, you will probably ruin a lot more of your life than bad circumstances will ever ruin".  I don't need a gate called Self, period.   The gate of Self excludes God and will get me nowhere.  I have no purpose outside of Jesus Christ because He is the giver and sustainer of life.  

Jesus provides gates with purpose....gates to somewhere.  His gates are profitable for living. 

Psalm 118:19
"Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:"

Revelation 21:21
And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

Revelation 21:25
And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.

Revelation 22:14
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

A Gate to Nowhere or A Gate to Somewhere? 

It's a choice.
....