02/01/2020
The Lord stands at our door and knocks, but is this a convenient time for us to receive guests? Yes, I said guests. Knocking at the door is something for visitors to do, but our family, and the love of our life, need not knock, they enter with nary a pause... they are always welcome. Do we love God, and Jesus, enough to allow them free and loving access to our heart, our homes, our tables, and our lives?
“"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV
My wife and I have been married for well over forty years, but when we enter the house we always call out “I’m Home!”, or in my case “Hello, Hello!” so as not to startle the other. This is what people who love one another deeply do, they might announce their arrival, but they certainly don’t ask permission to enter. I can’t imagine requiring my children or grandchildren to knock at my door, no, they simple enter, and say something so we know they have arrived; sometimes a very cute call of “It’s me!”
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20 ESV
When we allow visitors into our home we offer to serve them food and drink, but if family, and loved ones enter, we might simply tell them to go into the kitchen and get themselves something to snack on, or to pour themselves a drink. Sometimes we might say nothing at all because we expect them to just do that; and if it is close to meal time and we are preparing a full meal we call everyone to the table once it has been prepared. Once again... visitors are invited to our table, but our family and loves, are simply informed that the meal is ready.
“He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.”
Luke 14:12 ESV
No mention of inviting, or not inviting, immediate family is made in this parable because they need no invitation; they are always welcome. So I ask you these questions... how do you treat Jesus? Must you invite Him to dine with you, or does He abide in you, and need no invitation? Do you abide in Him, and thus need no invitation to come to His table?
“and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Luke 22:29-30 ESV
When Jesus comes to our door do we require Him to knock? When We prepare a table must He be invited? There was a time when He was a stranger to us, but is He more than that now... is He loved with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength? Today has our Lord become our family, and is He our greatest Love?
“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."”
John 21:15 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for knocking at my door, and I thank you for calling to me so that I came to the door and opened it to you. I thank you further for coming in, and allowing me to know you, and love you with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I thank you for becoming my greatest love, my Heavenly Father, and for you loving me in kind. You offered your Son Jesus that I might be redeemed, and now He abides in me, and I in Him... thank you for His love, obedience, sacrifice, and resurrection because by that He has made me His brother... His heir and joint heir in you. Now I sit as your child at your table, and by the side of Jesus. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my Father God who loves me beyond understanding and description. Great are you who I love, even as a son loves his father, and more. I praise you from my place at your table, and for the banquet meal you have spread before me. Your glory abounds, and of this your grace is its witness. Hear my worship always Lord, and as you fathom my heart I pray you find it extends to the depths of my soul. I pray that you are now comfortable in opening the door of my being without knocking, but by simply announcing... “it’s Me, I Am home!”
“For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,”
Ephesians 2:18-19 ESV
Rich Forbes