|
|
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." - Revelation 3:20
It startled me.
I was staring at my computer screen, furiously pecking away at the keyboard, deep in thought when someone started knocking at my door, thus interrupting my train of thought. I, of course, got up from my seat, went to the door and looked out through our security "peephole." It was my friend Albert.
Now, let me tell you, I knew what Albert was wanting. I'll be real honest here, I didn't want to do what I knew he was going to ask me to do. I had a full schedule of things to do, and, besides, it wasn't something I wanted to do anyway. So, guess what I did...I let him keep knocking. That's right, I didn't open the door and let him in. In fact, even though he was at my door knocking, I went about my business, hoping he would just go away.
He didn't.
I got startled again, because God began to convict me about avoiding my friend. After repenting of my deceit, I went to the door and invited Albert in. Even though he did, in fact, ask me to do what I didn't want to do, we had a wonderful time of fellowship together.
You know, sometimes another Friend of mine comes knocking at my door. That's right, my friend Jesus. He comes knocking at the door of MY heart, and the door of YOUR heart. I wonder, just how many times do we avoid answering Him because we know what He is wanting from us. You know what I'm talking about, we've got a full schedule of things to do and we don't really want to do what He wants anyway...so, maybe, just maybe if we let Him knock long enough, He'll grow tired and go away.
Sound familiar? Knock, knock, knock. "Hey, it's Jesus. Let me open the door...wait a minute. Wait a minute. I bet He's going to tell me that I need to go witness to __________ again. That didn't go so well last time. Or, if that's not what He's wanting, then He probably is going to say something about teaching that class...no, I've got it, Jesus is probably here to remind me to get that situation resolved between me and _________. Doesn't He remember how they mistreated me? Oh, I remember. It's that thing He's been really speaking to my heart about lately...He's here to get me to commit to doing it. Or, maybe He wants to say something about that sin that I haven't confessed yet...I'll just let Him knock."
And so, we don't answer, because we know what Jesus wants from us...and we're just not willing to do that, at least not right now.
Is that any way to respond to the One who gave His very life for your and my sins? Is that any way to answer the door that Jesus knocks on?
Friend, we should be like my little nephew. Whenever I go to visit him, he
opens the door, meets me half-way across the yard and screams with delight, "Uncle Jimmy's here, Uncle Jimmy's here." He throws his arms around me and gives me a big hug with a joyful grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
That's the way we should answer when Jesus knocks at the door of our hearts. "Jesus is here, Jesus is here!" We should squeal in delight to think that the Creator of the world is extending us a personal visit. A grin so wide that it hurts our jaws should spread across our face as we welcome our Most High and Holy Guest. We should welcome Him in, lock the doors and bar His way from ever leaving our presence....that's how excited we ought to be to hear from Jesus.
Friend, if you are His, then He's going to speak to you today. Maybe He will want to talk about that sin that you haven't gotten right...don't turn Him away. Or, He might just decide it's time that He reminds you to witness to that lost soul again...don't keep Him waiting at the door. Maybe He has some special assignment that you have been avoiding and He just wants you to know how important it is that you begin today...don't avoid Him. Or, He may just want to "sit a spell" and sup with you, as He encourages you for your faithfulness and obedience. He may want to say, "Well done" or simply, "I love you."
What's that I hear, Christian? I think someone's knocking at your door.
Have a "Wonderful DAY in Christ,"
Jimmy D. Brown