On Memorial Day Shirley and I made a day trip to Kilmarnock on Virginia's Northern Neck peninsula...between the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. It always feels like I shed cares and stress when I cross one of our local rivers and visit a more rural place like this. Kilmarnock also has a lot of small shops on a lovely old main street and those are fun for us to walk through. But my eye was drawn to one store that had the blinds drawn and two signs on the front door: "Open" and "Closed" (actually spelled 'Closd'). It gave me a chuckle to think that instead of turning the Open sign over the shop owner decided to hand write the Closed sign to cancel the Open one.
-
It made me think that we put signs out too. When it comes to the Lord we may like to appear that we are Open for his business and his presence...but in reality the shades are drawn and in the fine print of our hearts we actually are Closed.
-
In the Revelation, John quotes Jesus as He comments on the church in Laodicea:
Revelation 3:15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."
-
So are we Open to Him, are we Closed to Him or do we want to appear Open but honestly...we just want to draw the blinds and stay closed...hiding on the dark-side of the door?
-
Just past this passage in Revelation we hear about Jesus approaching the door of the church:
Revelation 3: 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 eat with him, and he with me."
-
(Whatever sign you are hanging on the door...when He knocks please open!)
-
blessings,
Rob Smith
-------------------------------------------
"Death is inevitable. Life is a choice!"
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
No comments:
Post a Comment