This afternoon a gust of wind found an open door in our house. It would be difficult for me to describe how high I must have jumped when it slammed shut with the force of a small nuclear weapon. There is something very unnerving about a slammed door, especially when it cannot be reopened. Just try to imagine the sound of the closing door of Noah’s ark. Surely the finality of that sound must have reverberated in heaven itself.
In Revelation 22 at the close of Scripture there is a closing. “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” As difficult as it is to imagine, there will come a time when God’s mercy is no longer available. People’s decisions not to accept the gift of grace will seal their eternal destiny. It is not a pretty picture. John speaks of God wiping away our tears. He will need to do so. This is not a time for the Redeemer and the redeemed to rejoice. There will be family members who are dear to us who will not be spending eternity with us. For Jesus all of them are precious. Can you imagine dying for someone only to have them spurn your act of love?
Life is a series of closed doors. One closes when we graduate from elementary school and another when we leave secondary school. But when one door closes another opens. When we step over the new threshold awesome opportunities may await us. What follows is what we decide to do with them. Right now the door of grace is still wide open.
Written by Roger Bothwell on September 16, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org