The Door

This is the last week of Advent. Christmas is almost here! This last reflection is based on a rather unique ornament... a door, bedecked with a wreath of green, ready to welcome all who would enter. This one, I think, is my favorite.

Ahh, the door. I've been waiting for this one. I got really excited at the store when I spied this ornament, because I believe it has such a wonderful connection to the message of Christmas.

I was thinking specifically about the signs that often appear on doors, doors to lodging establishments, to shops, to homes... even doors to hearts. Those signs can signal, "Welcome! We're glad you're here," or they can warn abruptly to, "Keep Out!" They can relay the message, "We're open. Come on in," or say in no uncertain terms, "Permanently closed."

Then of course, there are the "No Vacancy" signs that were likely all too familiar to the little couple, weary from their long travels that first Christmas night.

Signs serve as an outward expression of an inward condition, especially when we're talking about the door to a person's heart. In Revelation 3:20 we read Jesus' words, "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."

I am always astonished by grace. The really cool thing about God's grace is that it is totally independent of anything we could ever do to earn it. Forgiveness, salvation, eternal life... All FREE gifts. As lost, sinful beings, we would have no hope of ever securing those gifts on our own. Only the blood of Jesus could do that. That's quite humbling... and also a bit mystifying... that God would love you and me so much that He would trade His Son's life for ours.

A number of years ago I was sitting in a Sunday morning Bible class at a former church, listening to the pastor talk about grace. At one point I made a comment about there being nothing we can do to earn grace, except to open the door when Jesus comes knocking. The pastor remarked, "That's not exactly correct. You see, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We could not even turn the doorknob on our own."

Wow. That's kind of mind-blowing. The only thing within our power then is to reject Jesus... putting out the "No vacancy" sign and slapping the "Keep Out" notice underneath. How terribly tragic that would be.

How thankful we are that the Holy Spirit creates that craving in our heart, cultivating the soil, planting the seeds of faith! He alone gets credit for giving us the desire to know Jesus, to want a relationship with Him. In essence, it's the work of the Spirit to put out the "Welcome" mat and to turn the sign on the door of our heart from "Closed" to "Come on in!"

It's sad to think that some people will travel through this season with the "No vacancy" sign still firmly affixed to their heart. They'll navigate through all the trappings and traditions. They'll fill their schedules to overflowing and max out their credit cards... and yet, miss the most important thing of all.

They will miss Jesus standing there, waiting for an invitation to come in. He won't force His way. He doesn't operate like that. He simply waits patiently, gifts in hand, hoping the heart is ready for Him.

Let us pray for doors to be opened this Christmas... and for each of us to welcome the Christ child inside.

How silently, how silently The wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts The blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, But in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still, The dear Lord enters in.

O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in, Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel.