Devotional Thought of the Day:

²⁰  Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me. Revelation 3:20 (TEV) 

“Pray remember what I have recommended to you, which is to think often of God, by day, by night, in your business,and even in your diversions.  He is always near you and with you; leave Him not alone…” brother lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God – quote from Celtic Daily Prayer..

Some of us, when we read this passage, visualize a painting of Jesus, standing outside the door, robed in glory, ever hair perfectly in place. The entire walled garden radiating a sense of peace, the originates with Him.
We hear evangelists like Billy Graham, pleading with thousands to just open that door, to let Jesus in, for then their life will be idyllic, clean, and at peace.
Some of us nod our head even, thinking of that, picturing people we would like to see open that door, and let Jesus come in….

Except, that passage is not directed to unbelievers at all.  We don’t think of the context, we might know it is in the book of the Revelaiton of Jesus Christ, (no “revelationS”) but we don’t realize that it was part of a letter to a church.  TO people just like us, to people who claim to believe, are part of a church, and yet somehow….. are missing out on communing with God – not just daily, but all the time.

This passage isn’t talking about daily quiet times, or a prayer life that is at meals, and before bed.  It’s not advocating going on some retreat either, spending time in silence and meditation.

And the time Jesus would spend with us isn’t just the perfect times, when everything is in place.  It is the times where our lives are in storms, where we’ve been bruised and battered by sin, the times where we are grieving, and anxious because of the presence of death. And the simple times, as we hug our kids and grandkids, as we watch the superbowl with friends, even as we hum a song that is in our mind, as we go about cleaning our homes, or shoveling snow.  He is even in our “nothingness”, those times we have when we are just vegetating, thinking of nothing, just.. there.

The church in Laodecia had forgotten this.  They thought they had everything in its right place in life. Work had its place – and it was good, family its place, and they were fine, church had its place, and when it was convenient, they would make it part of their life.

But God is there, patiently waiting, pleading even, wanting to share life with them, with me, with you.

Not just to teach us, and to guide us, not just to clean up our sins, but to laugh with us, to feast with us, to share life – even the nothingness of life with us.

When we remember Jesus is here… it changes everything, The storms, though raging and violent, seem less threatening.  Death loses its sting and the grief becomes a ache that is matched by knowing His comfort and finding rest.

And life is as it should be, shared with God… as we go with Him, watching Him redeeming the time.. and those we love (and will come to love)

So walk with God, throughout your days… and know He hears you when you cry, “Lord have mercy”.  For He is there…