Story of the day:  Are you gonna get the door?

     Before people come over to our home, I typically like to have things in order.  We as a family will vacuum, maybe dust (if time permits), make sure the kitchen is clean, and the bathroom is wiped down (we have boys).  You know what I am talking about, that “quick cleaning” to make things smell nice.  I am lucky to get the upstairs picked up and the laundry folded and put away before our guests arrive.  While our cleaning is underway, there have been times that we haven’t heard the doorbell or the knock of our guests.  The funny thing is that they never left, they stayed the entire time until we finished cleaning and waited patiently to enter our home (probably laughing because they would be doing the same thing:)

     “Before God sent His Son to earth, people’s ability to know God was limited.  But when God took on human form, in the person of Jesus Christ, people could know Him fully and tangibly.”  Revelation 3:20 paints a powerful picture of Jesus “standing at the door of the church, knocking.  He wants to enter, to be welcomed to fellowship.  He desires to enter our hearts and lives.  Notice, however, the He allows us to open the door for ourselves.  Jesus doesn’t force His will on us, pounding at the door or prying it open; instead, He stands and knocks politely.

     The church at Laodicea had become ”lukewarm”; that is, they had allowed their passion for Christ to cool and had become enamored with themselves and their wealth instead.  Eventually, Jesus was no longer with them.  Thus He was standing on the outside, knocking, hoping to get their attention so that He might enter and change their lives.

    Where is Jesus for you?  Outside or inside?  Is He a stranger, or do you “share meals” together?  Do you seek daily to know Him and His will for you?  What concerns occupy your thoughts?  Relationships?  Career?  Possessions and power?  Perhaps even survival?  Do they threaten to push Jesus to the fringe of your life?

     So, turn off the vacuum long enough to hear his knock and “whatever your situation, know that the Lord is standing near and is ready for You to hear His gentle knock.  Push through the clutter and open the door” and then welcome Christ into your home and “give Him His rightful place in your life.” (Livingstone) 

Quote of the day:  C. H. Spurgeon

“Happiness is obedience, and obedience is happiness.”

Bible verse of the day:  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 dine with Him, and He with Me.”

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,

I don’t want You on the outside of my home, but on the inside at all times.  I wish to fellowship with You everyday and to lean on You for all things in my life.  As I walk this road in life, may I continue to do Your Will and not my own.  Father, You are there knocking at the door no matter what my home looks like.  You request entrance into it and if I allow the distractions of this world into my life, then I won’t be able to hear You knock, and for that I am sorry.  Thank You for continued patience and for this day that You have blessed me with.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen   

Wow! what is that smell?  The source of the offending odor was my little dog who just came in from outside.  He was a 5lb. dog with 10lbs of stink.  He chased my family from the room with his scent most foul.   So I quickly scooped him up, placed him the sink and washed his offending aroma away.   What was left was a clean fresh scented little dog we all love and with a spritz of frebreeze - we could all rejoin in the family room.

As I glanced at our big dog, I noticed that his white wasn’t so white.  He looked dingy.  He didn’t smell and there was no obvious “dirt” but there was cast of gray that clung to him.  So he was next in line for a bath.

As I thought about my dogs, I remembered about our first dog.  He was a scuffy little guy.  He had a mottled coat with colors from gray, red, brown, blonde and black.  His coat was coarse with a soft underside.  But you could never tell he was “dirty”; until you reached in his coat and could feel the grit and grime that clung to him.

As I traveled further down that thought path in my brain; I soon realized how much like my dogs - past and present- I am.  I too have times when I am dingy, or have “grit & grime” hidden but clings closely to my skin.  I have times that my aroma is most foul and offending to my Master and those around me.

But each type of “dirt” - there is a deeper meaning:

The scent most foul that clings to us and coats us; is because we choose to roll in it.  We chose to “stink”.  We saught it out and lathered ourselves with it.

The “dingy” - or cast of gray that clings and colors us, happens just by living this life.  We cannot go through our day and not be affected or touched by the “dirt” that continually circles around.  It clings to us without us even really noticing.

The “hidden grit” - We know it is there.  We can feel it on our skin, but to the “outside” we come across clean and fresh. But in truth, it affects our behavior and causes us to be “scratchy”, irritable and miserable.

For each of these, I have had many times when my Master (Jesus) picked me up when I come to him and despite my lbs. of stink; my ’dinginess” or “grit”.  He held me close and gently washed my foulness away.  He loves what lies beneath the grit, the grime and the stench most foul. He wants to share his life with us and enjoy our company. So… He loves us beyond the “dirt” and with a shot the air becomes a sweet aroma of fresh peace.