Knock, knock...

If you don't read God's word on a regular basis, you are missing out on some good stuff! I love it! No matter what chapter I am in, or how many times I read the same verses, God is faithful to teach me something. And it always amazes me how I can have a totally new perspective on the same verses just a few days later, after just a few days of living.

And I must admit, there are times I start working on a blog with a particular message in mind but if I let it sit for too long - unfinished - He, more often than not, shows me something completely different by the time I get back to it. There are many times that I could get 3 or 4 different messages from the same verse... if I could remember what I was originally thinking!

Memory. The older I get, the tougher it is to remember... anything. I have journals and note books everywhere! I've learned to write things down. It's much easier to make a list than torture myself trying to remember! But my list isn't always detailed enough. One or two words to a "thought" just doesn't cut it anymore.

Recently I wrote down this verse reference, Revelation 3:20. So, here comes confession #2. I'm afraid of the book of Revelation. There's just so much detail in it. I know it's important, but my brain goes into fight or flight mode at the thought of studying it! I am definitely more comfortable in the Old Testament. Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Isaiah. I'll pick those guys any day!

But if I'm honest with myself, I know I'm more comfortable in the Old Testament because I've spent so much time there. Note to self... If I want to get comfortable in the book of Revelation, spend more time there! Duh!

Which leads us to my note. Revelation 3:20.

Revelation 3:20 says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Those words were spoken by Jesus. It's a pretty familiar verse. I've heard it used many times in messages aimed at unbelievers. BUT I just learned that Jesus wasn't talking to a group of unbelievers... He was talking to the church! That's right. He was asking the CHURCH to invite Him in.

I think for many of us, our walk with Jesus is a lot like my memory. It used to be great! All the pistons were firing and it seemed easy. But, much like my memory, our relationship with Him can fades over time. It fades slowly - so slowly that we don't really notice it. Then, one day you wake up and realize that it's not so great. You don't feel like things are up to snuff and before you know it, our walk with Him is just made up of cute little spiritual signs on our walls and Facebook posts that make us feel good. OUCH!

"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me." Jesus was asking us to let Him in - into our homes, into our workplaces, into our churches, into our lives. And He's not just knocking, He's speaking to us. IF anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.

I have this picture in my head of Jesus standing outside the door, knocking and saying, "Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?" Is that where we are now? Are we so caught up in our own lives that we don't hear the knock, don't hear His voice? That makes me cry. That thought just breaks my heart!

I would like to be mad at the church. The church should be the first place people would answer the door. But the church is made up of people. WE are the church! And many of us can't hear His voice over all the noise and chaos we allow in our lives. Jesus is a choice. And we need to be listening for Him - expecting His knock.

Jesus will never force Himself into our lives or into our church. That's a choice we all have to make on our own. It's called free will. It makes us choose, we have an individual choice to make. Which side of the door do you stand? Do you listen for that still small voice or do you listen to whoever is talking the loudest? Because right now, there are a LOT of loud voices in our world and that's exactly what they want... they want to drown out His knock, His voice.

God doesn't want our complacency. He wants our devotion. He wants us to be ready. Wouldn't it be awesome if we were so excited about His visit that we watched for Him - if we saw Him coming up the walk and greeted Him at the door so He didn't have to knock!

Maybe I was afraid of the book of Revelation because I was afraid of the message? Maybe I was afraid of the lesson I was to learn? Maybe I was afraid of what stood on the other side of the door? Maybe... maybe.

I have started my journey through Revelation. Step one - LISTEN. Not for the loudest voice, but for that still small voice that finds me ready for... Step two - OPEN the door. Not fearfully, but eagerly. Step three - SIT at the table with Him. The more time I spend at the table with Jesus, the more comfortable I will be with whatever adventure lies ahead. Because the next adventure, we do together. And I will be waiting at the end of the walk when He comes to pick me up.

Rev. 3:19-22

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”