Thursday, April 21, 2022

Come to me....I'm waiting....






"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."
Revelation 3:20


Though I can't remember if someone told me or I read it....I have repeated this story too many times to count.....

A friend calls and asks if you'd like to meet for breakfast. You gladly accept. You wake up that morning and it's rainy, dreary (insert whatever) and you just don't want to go out. But you've made the commitment. So you pull yourself up by the bootstraps, get ready and away you go. Now think of that friend being Jesus. Every single day he is waiting....he's waiting for ME. Think about the friend waiting at the restaurant. I would never think of just not showing up...yet my friend Jesus is waiting for me everyday and sometimes I CHOOSE to not show up. How can that be? How do I make that choice? Here are a few of my excuses:

• I'm running late, overslept again
• Early appointment
• I'm just tired
• I'm fearful in my current circumstances (fear distracts me on a fairly regular basis)
• I can't concentrate - too much going on
• Overthinking EVERYTHING
• I just don't want to.....😔

Yet, there he is...waiting for me....wondering where I am. I would never do that to a friend yet I do it to the very person who created me in mother's womb.

Catch the verse at the beginning of this post. Jesus is standing at the door knocking. IF anyone hears his voice AND opens the door, he WILL come in. Not opening the door doesn't mean I don't hear him. The most precious part is this...just because I don't open the door doesn't mean he'll stop knocking.

Again, think about a friend knocking at your door. You're expecting them but when they knock you don't answer. They WILL walk away, perhaps angry. "Why would she invite me over and then purposely not answer the door?"

When we treat our friends with little regard they likely won't put up with it. But God continues to pursue us. Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden. Once they ate from the forbidden tree they were ashamed and hid. God pursued them.

"Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
Genesis 3:8‭-‬9


He knew what they had done and though there were consequences for their disobedience he still pursued them.

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"
Psalms 139:7

I can try to hide but:

"Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord."
Jeremiah 23:24


God's interaction with Adam still chills me:

"He (Adam) answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he (God) said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”
Genesis 3:10‭-‬11


My relationship with God my Father is not an on and off relationship. I may treat it that way but God is always ON. Always available. Always waiting. Always ready. Forever loving. Forever pursuing. But...and it's a big one.....I have to open the door!!

Back to the friend. You call them and say, "I'm just not going to make it today. I'm not feeling well." Their response may be, "I'm sorry. I'm here if you need me."

While it is really wonderful to have caring friends I should never treat my relationship with the Lord casually. "Thanks Lord. I'll call if I need you." NO!

Most people have heard of The Lord's Prayer even if they are not a follower of Jesus. It begins this way:

"Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...."
Matthew 6:9


Hallowed - sacred, holy, set apart
Sacred - dedicated.....set apart, different....holy, revered...

"....one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Ephesians 4:5‭-‬6


ONE - a person of a specified kind.

Interesting definition isn't it? God calls us friend yet he is a friend like no other. He cannot be treated nor thought of as we think of earthly friends. I've learned, though very painful, that friends can be for a season and then they leave us. Sometimes it doesn't matter how much we've put into the relationships....it's not always forever. Though I usually am heavily invested I've realized not everyone views friendship like I do.

But Jesus? He calls me child and friend and it's FOREVER. So does this mean I shouldn't invest in earthly friends? Of course not. But when those seasons end I am never alone if I invest heavily in my relationship with my Savior.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28‭-‬30


Lord, you are an amazing Father and friend. I am humbled this morning when I think of how many times I have not answered the door. How many times I have not showed up. How you never stop coming. Never stop pursuing. Never stop loving. How your reliability rating is 100%....100% of the time. Thank you that you are relentless in your pursuit for my whole heart. Thank you for knocking this morning. Thank you for meeting me where I am. Thank you that you are gentle and kind. Thank you that I never have to be ashamed to open the door. May today be for your glory wherever your path takes me.

No comments:

Rest in his arms....

"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If ...