Why is this so hard?

Today's poweredby4 reading from Luke 13:22-35 brings to mind several questions.

First of all Jesus says "work hard to enter the narrow door to God's Kingdom". My first response to this is - why do we have to work hard? I can't earn my salvation - I can't earn my way into heaven - so why do I need to work hard? To me it seems so easy - I'm a sinner, Jesus wasn't - He died to pay the penalty for my sins - conquered death and now sits at the right hand of God offering a free gift of salvation to me - based upon the fact that he already paid for my sins. I don't have to do anything - It's already done for me.

And yet, I remember sitting and talking with a young man a few years ago - as I explained what he needed to do in order to enter into a relationship with Christ - he looked at me and said one of the saddest things I have ever heard - "I can't do it, I can't believe it - it's too easy".

So many people think that they can figure out a different or better way to get through the narrow door into God's Kingdom - that's why it is so difficult. Our human nature always wants to try to do it bigger and better. To make it harder than it really is.

If there was any other way for man to be saved other than through the blood of Jesus Christ - he wouldn't have had to come and die for me - but he did. Thank you Jesus.