‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.’ – Revelation 3.20
From Sam Lomas:
I wonder whether you have ever seen a painting inspired by the verse above? Artist William Hunt depicted Jesus stood by a door holding a lamp waiting for the home owner to open it to Him. The really interesting thing about the painting is the door. It doesn’t have a handle on the outside, where Jesus is standing. The door can only be opened from the inside.
This image helps us understand John’s words in Revelation 3.20. It depicts Jesus, the Lord who gently knocks on the door of our lives with the offer of salvation, peace & hope. Jesus stands and patiently waits for us to answer. He does not force Himself upon us. Instead, He offers Himself to all people, waiting patiently for a response. Isn’t that a remarkable thought! That the Lord, the creator of heaven and earth, waits patiently for our response to his offer of salvation.
In the light of the cross and resurrection, Jesus offers total forgiveness and a new life in which He lives in us, guiding us and changing us from the inside out. If we open the door of our lives to Jesus, He promises to come in.
Have you let Jesus into your life yet? Maybe you know He is knocking. What’s stopping you from opening the door and letting Him in?
Perhaps you have let Jesus into your life already – if so, fantastic! But I wonder whether the act of opening the door to Jesus isn’t just a one-off event. Rather, it is a continuous thing we must do on a regular basis. Jesus says in the verse above that if we let Him in, He will eat with us. Perhaps as often as we eat a meal, is as often we need to open the door to Jesus, continually allowing Him to mould, shape and direct our lives from the inside out.
I wonder, today, do you need to open the door of your life to Jesus again?
*Painting referenced is called ‘The Light of the World‘ by William Holman Hunt.
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