A knock on the door
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 3:21
It’s 7:30am and you’re stirring the porridge or tucking into Frosties or whatever floats your morning boat when there is a knock on the door. You wonder if the postie has a package but when you open the door, Jesus is standing there saying, “Can I come in and eat with you?”
Julian of Norwich described the soul as God’s familiar favourite home – beautifully summarising a picture of the soul that is thoroughly biblical. It tells us that God wants to be welcomed into every part of our lives.
It’s a crazy idea for us to absorb. Why would God want us to host him? God is the supreme host, provider of the best vintage wines and of the feast of all feasts to come. Imagine Gordon Ramsay asking me to make him supper – this is even more topsy-turvy!
Why does God want us to host him? Simply, God loves us and wants a two-way relationship.
Increasingly, I see that faith is dynamic – shut God out and it languishes, invite him in and it flourishes because when we invite Jesus in, revelation happens. Luke tells the post-crucifixion story of two men walking to a village, their hopes are dashed, their adventure of faith apparently over. A stranger joins them and explains how their Messiah fulfilled a stack of Old Testament prophecies. When they reach their destination, it looks like the stranger is off on his way but they invite him in. It is only then that Jesus shows them who he is. Revelation happens when we host God.
So why wouldn’t you invite Jesus in?
Is it that you don’t feel ready? It’s a dreadful feeling when you aren’t ready for visitors. A while ago, I got my times mixed up and expected friends for lunch at 1pm and they came at 12:30pm. I had been swimming and didn’t hear the bell because I was in the shower. They came round the back and let themselves in and I have never felt so unready as when I came down in my towel to investigate the noise in my kitchen!
The truth is that we can never make our lives fully ready for the God of the Universe, for the King of Kings. But when we open the door, he helps us to clean up the mess, he even multiplies the food.
All Jesus wants is for us to open the door and welcome him in.
What does that welcome look like? It’s not like the Pharisee who refused to wash his feet or like Martha who rushed round and ignored him. It’s like the woman who poured out her perfume on Jesus, who poured out her love and we are told that the fragrance filled the house. Our worship is our perfume, our outpouring of love and there is no better way to welcome Jesus.
I preached on this recently (the full talk from May 22 is here) and was reminded that the Revelation verses weren’t just written to individuals but to a whole church that had become so lukewarm that Jesus was ready to spit it out. I am challenged that Jesus abhors a half-hearted welcome. When we welcome him with whole-hearted adoration, the fragrance of his power and healing and salvation will fill not only our own lives but the house of his church.
Jesus is knocking at the door of our lives waiting for us to open it and welcome him in, not just for a moment but to move in. Jesus says in John 14 that he wants to make his home with us. That means handing him the keys, letting him move the furniture and even knock down some walls, giving him the passcode for the computer and even our phones! It means opening up every room in our lives to him including the dark places of sin and struggle, fear and sorrow so that he can bring his holy light and peace and comfort.
When the Lord is welcome, changes happen. Zaccheus changed from a grabber to a giver after Jesus came to dinner. I can think of story after story of changed lives - like Mike from my old church in Ashtead who invited Jesus into his life when he was a compulsive gambler who had lost everything, decades on, he compulsively tells people about his Saviour.
When the Saviour enters the house, salvation comes with him. Look at the blessing that came to Abraham when he hosted God. Look at the blessing that came to Obed Edom when he hosted the ark of God’s presence. Look at Zaccheus - salvation came to his house. Host Jesus and you will be blessed.
Jesus says, 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.
