It was late, dark and raining when I got home from school this night. My old dog met me at the door with her usual leaning against me and rubbing her face against mine. After an appropriate amount of loving she went out into the dark and rain. She doesn’t like the rain so I expected a quick return. However, she lingered. After five minutes I grew uneasy and waited at the door. She has difficulty climbing even the two stairs on the porch. Suddenly I heard a muffled bark coming from a door on the back of the house. Running through the house I found her. We were both anxious for her to come inside. It will be a bad day when there will be no more bark at the door.
As I opened the door I thought of a paraphrase adaption of Jesus comment about us as sinful beings and our heavenly father. If we as sinful beings know how to rush to answer the door for a dog, how much more will our heavenly Father rush to open heaven’s door. One of my favorite authors has written that there is one prayer God will always answer affirmatively. It is, “Lord, save me.” He stands at the door looking out into the dark waiting for us.
It is interesting to note the different ways Jesus uses the analogy of a door. In John 10:9 He said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved.” In Revelation 3 we become the door. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Let’s do it.
Written by Roger Bothwell on October 29, 2009
rogerbothwell.org