“I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”” -Song of Solomon 5:2 (ESV)

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! … You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” -Luke 12:35-38, 40 (ESV)

“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.” -Revelation 3:20 (ESV)

Signs of the Times in Scripture’s Light

In just a period of one week from August 15-22, there were reports of flooding in Honduras and Frankfurt, Germany; a typhoon in Japan; landslides in Pradesh, India; churches being burned down in Pakistan; war between Russia and Ukraine; floods in Italy; wildfires in Tenerife, Spain and British Columbia, Canada; Hurricane Hilary hitting California; threats that North Korea will launch an intercontinental ballistic missile; Israel striking terrorist targets; an earthquake in Colombia; flooding in China; fires in Montana and in Greece; floods in Mexico; Israel attacking Syria; flooding in Chile; a volcano erupting in Peru; fires in Turkey; and floods in Saudi Arabia. And then there’s the threat of lockdowns and masking this fall. Can you say, “Birth pangs”? The proverbial door feels like it is off its hinges!

Jesus stands at the door of the world, knocking. He stands at the door of the Church, knocking. He stands at the door of global chaos, knocking. He stands at the door of your life, knocking. The birth pangs are allowing us to hear His knocking on another level if our spiritual ears are tuned in. In fact, it’s in the shaking that His presence is more and more known to us; His voice is more and more dear to us; and the thought of keeping Him behind closed doors creates eager longing to swing wide the door so that the King of glory may come in.

Three Biblical Doors of Christ’s Invitation

I want to take you on a journey of subsequent doors through all three passages of Scripture: Song of Solomon, the words of Jesus in Luke, and the angel’s record of the invitation to the Church of Laodicea. These represent three doors that Jesus is standing behind, and on the other side are three brides, all representative of the Church.

He Stands at Your Door as Your Beloved

We have a sleepy maiden who is awakened by the voice of her beloved. He is eager to be with her and is waiting long enough that dew fills his hair. Perhaps he came unexpectedly. From the sounds of it, she’s just as eager for his intimacy and embrace. But for some reason, the door is locked, and he can’t get in his own house. Somehow, there’s a barrier between them. Both are longing for one another, but something keeps them separated. He knocks. When she finally goes to let him in, she can’t find him anywhere (Song of Solomon 5:6).

Place yourself in this picture with Jesus on the other side of the door. What is blocking you from an intimate encounter with Him? Is it the exhaustion of working for the Lord? Religion and religious duties? A love affair with another lover? The noises of the world that keep you from hearing His hand knocking?

Search my heart, oh God, and remove any barriers. Unlock the door. I want to run into Your embrace.

The Door of Watchful Preparation

Jesus speaks a parable about the master returning to find his servants watching and ready for his return. Their ears are listening for his arrival, and when he knocks, they are ready to open the door for him. The lights are on. There’s anticipation in the air; in fact, the atmosphere is thick with excitement! He’s on his way and will be here any day now! Can you just picture your racing heart at the sound of his knock?

In preparation for that day, is there anything you are distracted by that is keeping your attention and focus? Is your house in order? Will your neighbors know where you have gone? Will they go with you? Are your lamps filled with oil? Will He find you busy about His business or distracted and frantic?

Search my heart, Lord. Clean the rooms of my heart so that this home, the place You reside, is clean and ready. Find the porch light on in my life.

He Stands at the Door as Savior

To the sinner and the saint, His invitation is the same. We wants to dine with us. He wants to have a meaningful conversation and an intimate relationship. For some reason, we find Jesus in this passage once again on the other side of the door. I wonder why He was not permitted to enter at all. Was He not welcome?

I love the commentary from David Guzik on this passage: “This statement of Jesus expressed a profound mystery. Why did Jesus stand outside the door? Why did He knock? Why did He wait until someone opens the door? He had every right to break down the door, or enter some other way on His own accord, but He didn’t. The sovereign, omnipotent Jesus lowered Himself to work out His eternal plan by wooing the cooperation of the human heart.”

Open the Door

It’s imperative to open the door when we first hear His voice. Our listening ears tell our brain to move, to run to the door, to throw the door wide open. When we listen well to His voice and the words He is speaking, we can be saved from lukewarmness and move to a passionate love relationship with Jesus.

Picture this door of your life, oh saint. What is Jesus standing at the door of your life calling to you that you need to hear? What has He come to tell you? What has He come to awaken in you, just like He did at the doors in the other two passages of Scripture? He comes as a Lover and Savior over and over and over again. But today, this door is a door that, in this season, is in preparation for His return. He stands at it to bring you something imperative for the road ahead.

Prayer and Meditation

Jesus, open our spiritual ears to hear Your words that You are calling to us. Whatever door is shut between us, will You knock loud and give us the faith to swing it wide open so You can walk right through? What have You come to bring us to feast on together?

End today by reading this poem by M. Basilea Schlink:

O love of God most holy,

You came from God’s own heart,

A Beggar meek and lowly,

To every human heart.

Beyond man’s understanding

Is such humility,

God pleading that we love Him!

What will our answer be?

 

Alas, alas, too often

Your pleading is in vain.

Your love beyond all measure

Is treated with disdain.

To see You suffer anguish

The angels weep above,

But who else heeds Your pleading,

O Beggar, for our love?

 

From soul to soul you wander,

You knock at every door,

Desiring deepest union

With us for evermore.

Your very heart You offer

As loving Lord of all,

But we, preferring others,

Ignore Your fervent call.

 

O Pilgrim, how much longer

Along earth’s dusty roads

You’re still obliged to wander

In search of loving souls?

Far more than royal power,

The glory and the crown,

A loving heart You offer,

Which surely none would scorn.

 

Accept our love, O Bridegroom.

To You we give our heart

To quench the ceaseless longing

Within Your loving heart.

Oh, make in us Your dwelling,

That love divine and true

May keep us ever burning

And one, dear Lord, with you.

A Few Key Notes

• Come share Jesus with others in our community at Dallas Harvest Day this Saturday, September 2. The day will begin at 9 a.m. at The Hope Center, 2001 W. Plano, Parkway, Plano, TX. To RSVP, email Melissa Burnett at [email protected].
• See God’s power unleashed in your life. Save the date for a six-week study through the Robby Dawkins book “Do What Jesus Did” beginning September 5. Sign up by emailing Jordan Gaudet at [email protected].
• Join us at this special Arise Lunch and Learn on September 11 where we will hear from Jill Hellwig! Jill is a gifted author, inspirational speaker, vision-driven coach, and founder of Brand New U. Learn more and register here.
• Join Arise for a night of worship and prayer followed by 72 hours of prayer at Knee-Deep in the Garden. Join us on September 17 as we praise the Lord for what He has done and will do. Then, sign up for a 30-minute slot to intercede for the nations. Register here for Knee-Deep in the Garden.