“Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.”
— Revelation 3:20
Jesus spoke through John in this revelation. He spoke about the Laodicean church who believed in Him for salvation—they were saved—but who didn’t live their lives walking with Him, unless it served their own purposes.
Jesus began this verse reminding them He was standing amidst them; He is “God with us,” Immanuel. Jesus did not begin and end with that statement. He told the church He had to knock and was knocking at the door the church-each Christian—put up and closed to separate themselves from Him.
Note, at that time, Jesus didn’t barge into their lives but was reminding the church He was there though they tried to shut Him out. (Don’t misunderstand, Jesus can and will barge into people’s lives, but wants each person to choose Him for him or herself.) Jesus knocks at each Christian’s door. That was His calling to them to hear, listen, remember, and return to Him. Jesus’ voice is familiar to Christians. Each believer recognizes it because he or she heard it before and because the Spirit in him or her stirs him or her to recognize it. Whether we heed Jesus’ speaking to us through His indwelling Spirit or not, Jesus stays with us and calls to us.
Jesus calls to Christians to give Him admittance to their lives again. His call comes with a promise; He will dine with them. Dining with Jesus is being in an intimate—close—and blissful relationship where He is first priority in a Christian’s life. This close, personal relationship, Jesus said, is two-sided. Jesus desires and seeks to be with us and the Christian desires and seeks to be with Him.
Each Christian faces choices throughout life to stop, seek, hear, listen to, and heed Jesus and His way or to close the door of his or her heart and will. The latter leads a Christian to gradually hear Jesus’ voice and knock less distinctly. The former brings bliss from the peace and surety of knowing Jesus is with and for him or her. He leads and protects us and grows us closer to Himself with each day.
Each believer must decide for him or herself if he or she will acknowledge and admit Jesus Immanuel truly to be with, and guiding and growing him or her closer to Himself.
Are you a Laodicean today? Have you shut Jesus outside your door?
Stop and hear Him knocking. Admit Jesus back into your life to be your Lord.
