Knock that door down

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me. (Rev 3:20 NAS77)

I've been taught that we should look at the context of a verse to better understand its meaning and how to apply it to our lives. Verse 3:20 of Revelation is near the end of Jesus words for the churches at Ephesis, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicia. He is speaking to the believers of the age and offering them encouragement, counsel and correction. The final verses of chapter 3 seem to summarize Jesus words for all the churches:

Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten. So be enthusiastic and repent (changing your mind and attitude). (20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me. (21) He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne. (22) He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 3:19-22 AMP)

I understood why Jesus came to earth to die for my sins about fifteen years ago when I gave my life to Him. I received an amazing gift that, for most of my life, I didn't understand. I realized I needed a savior and accepted Him. But I was a saved Christian who felt like I was alone and still had to make my way through life the best I could. Now that I was saved, it felt like my life got a little harder because I was working my way through the world with more regulations and an even higher standard of living than I had before I was saved. Now I had to live according to the rules of the world (succeed in business, be a good husband, be a good friend) with an added burden of being a Christian (don't even think thoughts of lust, anger, revenge). I began to question what it was, exactly, that I was saved from.

Then I grew to understand that His work didn't stop at salvation, even though that was an amazing and unbelievable thing in and of itself. After a few more years, I realized that I needed continuous help as I walked through life. I remember my first powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit during a shuttle flight between Dulles and Newark Airport. My job had me on that flight at least three times a month at that time and I was feeling very spent and broken. I had determined that I was going to work at this job for ten more years and I would be able to retire with a full pension. Ten more years here and I would be on the gravy train, relaxing on the beaches of Barbados or wherever I felt like relaxing.

But this ten years was beginning to feel like a life sentence. Just a few weeks earlier, I had been offered a job at a small startup company. I wasn't sure what to do; whether to stay on my ten-year retirement track or to risk it all and go for this small company and a whole lot of uncertainty. The little plane was taxiing down the runway and just as the pilot applied throttle for takeoff, I started to pray. This was really the first time I had prayed in my life without having any idea what to do. I was completely at a loss and truly and completely wanted to know what path I should take. As the little turboprop shuddered and hopped off the runway into the air, I prayed to God, "Which job should I take?"

I gave God two options—my current job or this new one. In my mind's eye, I saw a picture of Jesus and me walking along a wooded path, hand in hand. I felt such peace; a peace I hadn't ever felt before. It was absolutely wonderful. We continued to walk, but I couldn't help but wonder what this had to do with my question.

Anyway, as we walked, we came to a fork in the path that, if we continued on as we were, would lead Jesus on the left and me on the right. I kept holding his hand but we quickly started to walk in different directions. Just before I lost my grip on his hands, I heard Him say—"I want you to spend more time with me." My honest and first reaction was—right, but what does that have to do with my question?

As I reclined in my terribly uncomfortable seat, I began to realize that the source of all my anxiety and pain wasn't about the job or which job to take, it was that I wasn't spending time with Him. I wasn't depending on Him as he wants me to. I wasn't seeking Him in my life.

After many examples like this in my life, I am starting to understand what Jesus meant when He said, I must go now, but I am not leaving you as orphans. Jesus didn't leave us alone and without a heavenly parent. His going was necessary for us all to receive the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the Counselor.

This was a watershed event in my relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. But I don't hold on to it. I tend to close that door after a while and fall back into my old patterns of dealing with life as if I were an orphan again. When my wife and I were afraid that she might have rabies, we immediately felt fear and anxiety. My wife, within minutes of hearing the news that the first rabies test was inconclusive and actually seemed positive, immediately started to call and email for prayer. She flung the door open and Jesus stepped in. Then Jesus, through his saints on earth, comforted, counseled, and encouraged us so much that we weren't concerned about the test results. We knew that He would be able to take us through anything.

During this Lenten season, may we refuse to live our lives as orphans again. If we feel ourselves slipping into old habits, remember that he is right outside the door. Patiently, lovingly, persistently knocking; gently tapping, hoping that we open the door and let him in. When I do, it is wonderful. I pray that we all learn to never close that door. We are the ones who close it, not Him. May we knock the door down, break off the hinges, and let Him be your Comforter, Counselor, Father, Brother, and Friend.