Will You Open the Door? - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 24
Will You Open the Door?
By Megan Conner
Bible Reading:
“See! 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 (CSB)
Have you ever felt like God is absent in your life? You look around but can’t seem to find any evidence of Him in your home or heart. You find yourself asking: Where is God? Does He see me? Does He even care? If that is you today, please know you are not alone. There have been many moments in my own journey where I have asked these same exact questions. While there are seasons when God allows us to wander in the desert while He works all things out for our good, often our assumed separation is just an illusion. He is so much closer than we imagine.
“See! 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 (CSB)
The key to accessing His presence is as simple as unlocking the door of our own hearts. He is right there, patiently waiting and beckoning to us from the other side.
There is a moving painting called The Light of the World by artist William Holman Hunt which beautifully illustrates this scripture. In it, Jesus stands at the door, carrying a light that illuminates the darkness. His arm is outstretched and He knocks upon a wooden door. If you look closely at the image, you will notice, there is no handle on the outside of the door. Entrance can only be granted from within. What an incredible depiction of how our Lord calls to our own hearts. He will not beat down the door or force His way in.
Instead, he patiently waits for us to recognize His nearness and gentle call. There are several instances where we can see this same representation in scripture. One of my favorite examples is in 1 Kings 19:11-12.
“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (NKJV)
This passage takes place just after the prophet Elijah escaped to the wildness because his life was threatened by Jezebel. Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to a dank, dark cave and in a true moment of desolation. Just like our scripture from Revelation, God is the one who called out to Elijah first. The Lord saw his suffering and angst. Moved with compassion, He encouraged and assured Elijah that He was still present and working in and through the current circumstances. This assurance was not shouted. It was whispered; just as the same soft invitation speaks to us today.
At the center of it all is the condition of our hearts. There have been times when I have discovered my affections had unknowingly grown cold and distant from the One I love. He had not departed from me. He remained, as always, ever-present. It was I who had drifted. Yet, the Lord is so merciful, and it's His kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Each and every time I have sensed this invitation to soften my heart and return to Him, my Lord was right there, lovingly accepting me into His open waiting arms.
Where is your heart today? If you feel alone or separated from your Heavenly Father, I pray you choose to crack open your heart. He stands at the door, longing to come in and fellowship with you. Will you answer his call today?
Intersecting Faith & Life:
What does it really mean to open the door of our hearts? How do we practically apply this in our daily lives? The key to opening the door of our hearts is surrender. So often, our distance or distrust of the Lord is due to our own disappointments or disillusionments. We believe God should provide or act in a specific manner. When outcomes are not what we anticipated, mistrust sneaks into our hearts and we unknowingly distance ourselves from God.
Even if you are not confident that you can fully trust in God’s plans for your life, I encourage you to take one small step of faith today and yield to His invitation. Trust is built through relationships. Closed doors will never foster intimacy. Our God is faithful. If you place your heart in His hands, I promise He will reveal His unending love to you.
Further Reading:
1 Kings 19
Romans 8:37-39
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/peterschreiber.media
To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter. If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
Related Resource: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Your Emotions
Are you tired of up-and-down feelings stealing your peace, sabotaging your relationships, and filling your mind with self-defeating thoughts? What if you had a proven emotional management tool to biblically respond to your feelings with compassion and clarity? Join us for today’s episode to discover three simple steps to manage emotions, reduce stress, improve decision-making, and grow closer to God. If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Love Offering on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
