That's God Knocking At Your Door!

Wednesday, May 13, 2020
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Listen while you read: "Glory To His Name"1 (Lyrics)

Revelation 3:19b-20 – Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. (NRSV)

My annoyance over telemarketers has occasionally caused me to answer legitimate calls with a rather unfriendly tone. Once, I even hung up on someone. How rude! Thankfully, that person called right back.

That got me thinking: How often have I "hung up" on my Lord — in other words — failed to "open the door" when He came a-knocking? How often have I missed His knock because other "sounds" occupied my focus? Perhaps, now you wonder about your own track record in hearing God's knock. Regardless, there's always room for improvement.

Today's Bible passage was addressed to Christians who were immersed in affluence. Abundance had blinded them to their spiritual impoverishment. It had dulled their ears to God's knocking in their lives. Doesn't that resemble our own context, our modern churches? Whenever challenges face us as God's people, we seem inclined to react like everyone else, to seek solutions within the wealth of societal resources, not just materially, but through the overall wealth of our Western ways — such as knowledge, skill, and organizational structures. Since everyone around us operates that way, it feels right. Thus, we can't see how our clever strategies will leave people just as spiritually impoverished as before. They will continue to leave our churches weak and immature, wrought with issue upon issue. That's why God wants to get our attention — one by one.

Psalm 95:7b – O that today you would listen to his voice! (NRSV)

This requires personal responsibility. It requires you and me to reorient our ways of thinking and doing — in other words, to "be earnest and repent". Then, we are more able to recognize God's knock. I've learned that He'll often use life issues to get our attention. These are His knocks and our opportunities to pause and ask questions — such as: God, what's Your take on this? How do You want me to view this? What shall I do?

I tried that one night recently. That day, an issue had popped up that I found disheartening. I decided to interpret it as God's knock. So, at bedtime, I asked God what to do with it. He said, "Just go to sleep!" Right then, I knew that I was to drop it. It was not the right trajectory for me. Sure enough, the next day, my Lord opened up something entirely new. And best of all, I found myself enjoying sweet fellowship with Him — a wonderful "meal" together — just as He promised.

Surely, if we belong to God, He'll have much to say to us, and we'll want to hear it. That's especially true when we face uncertainties. It's critical that we wait for His call before proceeding.

As we learn to expect His calls, we'll be less inclined to treat them as just another telemarketer.

John 8:47a – Whoever is from God hears the words of God. (NRSV)

Prayer: Lord, train us to expect and to recognize Your knocking in our lives. Amen.

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About the author:

Diane Eaton <dianeeaton6@gmail.com>
Paisley, Ontario, Canada

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1 Comment

  • PresbyCan Feedback says:

    Thank you.


    Good advice, Diane.


    Thanks for sharing. God bless.


    Great advice, thank you Diane. God bless!


    Thanks, Diane. I like this strategy and will use it.


    Thanks for this message today; they are words I needed to hear.


    Love your stories
    (ON)


    Beautiful devotional Diane.
    Thank you.
    God bless.


    So good to hear from you again! Yes, the fellowship with Him is sweet! And the wisdom that flows out it for our days!


    Thank you for your reminder that God continues to speak, and we need to open up the doors of our hearts and minds to His Word. Blessings.


    Diane, thank you for sharing this timely devotional with us. Like yourself, telemarketers do annoy me…but our Lord’s gentle tap on our hearts is so welcomed. Blessings.


    Dear Diane.
    Thank you as always for your devotional. I am involved in a family quarrel and I want to listen for God’s voice regarding the matter. Thanks for this reminder.


    Thank you so much, Diane, for sharing this devotion today. That letter to the Laodiceans spoke to my heart many years ago and turned my life around. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on it. Much appreciated.
    Blessings on your day!
    (Ontario)


    Thank you for a surprising take on our everyday experience, Diane. Telemarketing is not only a hard job; it is often also the only work the caller can find and desperately needs. This is not to say we need to take up their ‘offer,’ but God’s loving care for ALL His children, even the one on the phone making our lives more difficult, is part of that ‘knock,’ today. You make this clear and I am grateful.


    Hello Diane,
    Thank you for another very good devotional. A good reminder how important it is that we don’t get impatient and want things to happen “our way” instead of waiting for God’s direction. Waiting for His “knock” definitely brings better satisfaction.
    Blessings,
    (B.C.)


    Hello Diane,
    I certainly resonated with your devotional today. I have a telephone that has a call block button, so when I see an unrecognizable number, I simply press the button. However, one day I pressed it a little too quickly and found that it was my hospital reminding me of a medical appointment! As you say, we have to be alert to God’s “telephone” messages.
    Blessings on you today.


    Dear Diane,
    Thank you for your message of waiting and acting appropriately.
    This we must do so in all circumstances, and especially with regard to the Covid virus. It is vital that we pray that God will inspire scientists who are working on treatment, medication, and serum to counteract the Covid virus and counter the illness.
    There has been no Covid illness in this area of southern Manitoba, for which we praise God.
    Some wear masks, and floors are marked in stores, etc.
    Keep writing for Jesus sake.


    Right on!
    Let he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

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