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
"Ding, Dong!"
"Oh, no! They're here already. . .why are they early? We're not ready yet! Quick, everyone, finish tidying up and I'll stall them at the door. Somebody put the dogs in the room. Oh, and don't forget to check the bathroom! Go!"
Has this ever happened to you? You're running late in preparing for dinner guests and then they show up before the appointed time! This is kind of how I can feel about Jesus. He is waiting at the door for me to invite Him into my life, but I am busy scurrying around trying to make myself presentable before I let Him in. But the key to being a good hostess is not in impressing my guests with a clean home and wonderful cooking, but in welcoming them into my life as it is and helping them to feel as part of the family. The focus is on the guest, not on the hostess. How can I let Jesus in now, and not wait until it may be too late?
Be Thankful The Westminister Shorter Catechism states that the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Paul instructs in I Corinthians 10:31 to take part in life with a spirit of thankfulness in all things. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." As I go through the mundane parts of my life, if I make Jesus my focus and my reason for doing all that I do, my attitude will change from one of fear and restlessness, to one of satisfaction and contentment. I am here for God, He is not here for me!
Be Accepting Jesus does not expect me to make myself presentable before I allow Him into my life. He know me well, as He demonstrated when He met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). He knew every detail of her life, but He loved her anyway! It is the same with me and you. In fact, ". . . God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Jesus did not wait until I was halfway there before He sacrificially gave His life to make me presentable before a Holy God. No! He did all the redemptive work for me, all I do is accept. He knows my sin better than I do, but He loves me just as I am. All that's left for me to do is let Him love me!
Be Accepting Jesus does not expect me to make myself presentable before I allow Him into my life. He know me well, as He demonstrated when He met the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4). He knew every detail of her life, but He loved her anyway! It is the same with me and you. In fact, ". . . God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Jesus did not wait until I was halfway there before He sacrificially gave His life to make me presentable before a Holy God. No! He did all the redemptive work for me, all I do is accept. He knows my sin better than I do, but He loves me just as I am. All that's left for me to do is let Him love me!
Be Purposeful Today is the day to let Jesus into my life, to live alongside of me. None of us are guaranteed tomorrow! God's Word found in James 4:14 reminds us that, ". . . you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Since we don't know how long we have here, we should make the most of every opportunity. (Ephesians 5:15-16)
Perhaps Benjamin Glover and Jeffrey Thomas Pardo said it best in the song they penned for Mandisa called, "Waiting for Tomorrow*."
Maybe tomorrow we'll start over
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me
Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better
Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow
Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing meJesus take everything
Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow
Maybe tomorrow I will finally change my ways
Said the same things yesterday
Don't know why I'm so afraid
To let you in
To let you win
To let you have all of me
Can't spend my whole life wastin'
Everything I know I've been given
'Cause you've made for so much more than
Sittin' on the side lines
I don't wanna look back and wonder
If good enough could've been better
Everyday's a day to start over
So, why am I waiting for tomorrow
Maybe today I'll start believing
That you're mercy is really
As real as you say it is
It doesn't matter who I used to be
It only matters that I've been set free
You rescued me you're changing meJesus take everything
Oh, I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
And I'm makin this my moment now
To grab the hand that's reachin down to save me You saved me
I'm gonna grab the hand that's reachin down
And I'm not gonna wait until tomorrow
Oh, tomorrow
Do I have caution tape around the door of my heart? You and I cannot afford to wait any longer to let Jesus into our lives. What are we waiting for?
As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will let Jesus into every part of my life and not attempt to hide anything from Him.
What am I trying to make presentable before showing it to Jesus?
How am I withholding parts of my life out of fear of what Jesus will think, forgetting that He loves me as I am?
That is powerful. I never thought of it that way, having caution tape around my heart. I know I must have a lot!
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