In my book Strong Tower, I describe a picture of Jesus standing at the door and knocking, which is based on Revelation 3:20: "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." (New Living Translation)
Look at the pictures side by side. That door represents the door of your heart. In the more traditional picture, which I'm sure most of us grew up seeing, Jesus is knocking at a door that has no handle on the outside. The more updated pictures I've seen lately show Jesus knocking at a door of a modern house, and there's a handle on the outside of the door. If there were a handle, Jesus could just open the door and let Himself in. I've even found a more humorous take on the picture, where Jesus is dressed up like a police or SWAT officer and is ready to break down the door. Some may think it's sacrilegious, but I think it's a lighthearted view of what Jesus is not going to do.
In Revelation 3:20, does Jesus say He’s going to barge in where He’s not welcome, and demand that you accept Him and share food with Him? No. Jesus is a gentleman. He will not invite Himself in, or even break the door down, but rather wait until you open the door and invite Him in. You have free will. It’s your choice, to run to the door and open it and invite Jesus to come in to dine with you, or to turn away and ignore His knocking and calling out to you. Sharing a meal together is an outward sign of brotherly love and reconciliation. When you invite Jesus to come in and dine with you, He will explain to you all the trials you’ve been through that have led you to this point. He won’t condemn you or criticize you. He will speak words of love, forgiveness, comfort, and reconciliation. This alludes to the Holy Communion and the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples before His death on the cross, where He died for the forgiveness of all our sins.
Do you have to clean up your act, and make everything all neat and tidy before Jesus comes in? No. Jesus accepts you just as you are, regardless of your circumstances, because He loves you unconditionally. After you let Him into your heart, that’s when the “cleaning up” begins. Sometimes it’s instantaneous; sometimes it’s a process. But with Jesus by your side, you never have to go through it alone.
Look at the pictures side by side. That door represents the door of your heart. In the more traditional picture, which I'm sure most of us grew up seeing, Jesus is knocking at a door that has no handle on the outside. The more updated pictures I've seen lately show Jesus knocking at a door of a modern house, and there's a handle on the outside of the door. If there were a handle, Jesus could just open the door and let Himself in. I've even found a more humorous take on the picture, where Jesus is dressed up like a police or SWAT officer and is ready to break down the door. Some may think it's sacrilegious, but I think it's a lighthearted view of what Jesus is not going to do.
In Revelation 3:20, does Jesus say He’s going to barge in where He’s not welcome, and demand that you accept Him and share food with Him? No. Jesus is a gentleman. He will not invite Himself in, or even break the door down, but rather wait until you open the door and invite Him in. You have free will. It’s your choice, to run to the door and open it and invite Jesus to come in to dine with you, or to turn away and ignore His knocking and calling out to you. Sharing a meal together is an outward sign of brotherly love and reconciliation. When you invite Jesus to come in and dine with you, He will explain to you all the trials you’ve been through that have led you to this point. He won’t condemn you or criticize you. He will speak words of love, forgiveness, comfort, and reconciliation. This alludes to the Holy Communion and the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples before His death on the cross, where He died for the forgiveness of all our sins.
Do you have to clean up your act, and make everything all neat and tidy before Jesus comes in? No. Jesus accepts you just as you are, regardless of your circumstances, because He loves you unconditionally. After you let Him into your heart, that’s when the “cleaning up” begins. Sometimes it’s instantaneous; sometimes it’s a process. But with Jesus by your side, you never have to go through it alone.
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