“For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14 NIV).
Hebrews 13:14 serves as a reminder that encourages us to reflect upon the road we are traveling in life and where that road ultimately ends. Consider Jesus’ famous counsel from the Gospel of Matthew…
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
The problem is that it is often challenging to travel a road that honors God in this life. Because of this, many prefer to take the path of least resistance and postpone any real consideration of their destination in the afterlife. Unfortunately, there are many “broad ways” in life that eventually lead to destinations where the bridge is out, so to speak (see Galatians 5:19-21).
Because of this, it is important to remember that every human being is someone who is passing through life on the way to another place. Everyone is a sojourner, a traveler, or a pilgrim in this sense. While the road of Christ is not necessarily an easy one, it is the right road that leads to the right destination.
This may explain why the Scriptures often make use of the word “walk” as a figure of speech to refers to our general conduct or behavior. The best known example of that imagery might be found in the Psalm 1:1-2 where we read, “Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”
“Walking” implies movement, progression, and advancement in a literal or figurative sense. As these passages remind us, we can walk in the counsel of the Godly, or we can go in another direction. We can walk in the path of sinners, or we can walk in the path of the righteous. We can travel the broad way that leads to destruction, or we can enter by the narrow gate.
Thus, two different roads present themselves to us, each leading to its own destination. One road is narrow and ultimately leads to an enduring city that is yet to come. The other road is broad and ultimately leads to ruin and destruction.