A Midnight Caller

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.  Therefore be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
Revelation 3: 19-21 NKJV

Many of us have had the experience of getting "That" phone call or knock at the door in the middle of the night warning of the death of a relative.  Military families are especialy familiar with such visits.  I haven't met too many military families who never feared this call or visit.  I recall my grandmother telling me at a young age how she would stay awake, not wanting to miss any news from my uncle Don who was in Southeast Asia at the time.  Those were very troubled times for our nation, so I imagine there were many families who went through this turmoil.  I bring this up to illustrate the scripture in Revelation 3:20.  Here we are told that the Lord Jesus "Stands at the door and knocks" seeking those within to open the door and invite Him in.  Now, in all reality, who wouldn't open their door if Jesus knocked?  Even the most die hard atheist may open his door if only to debate the risen Lord.  Now, I don't know if Jesus knocked on this door at midnight, but I'm sure those within had no warning of His arrival.  However, this is no social call by Jesus.  This is business all the way.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven.  "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, and done many wonders in your name?  "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Matthew 7: 21-23 NKJV

Think you're headed for heaven christian?  This passage may cause you to stop and consider that.  For there were many who apparently did many good things during their lifetimes, yet spent eternity apart from our Lord.  For these followers of Jesus prophesied the Lord Jesus and did man wonders in His very name, yet Jesus proclaimed to them, "I never knew you!"  What?  If these people who spoke of the Lord Jesus to others and did many wonders in His very name will not enter our Lords kingdom, what hope is there?  One thing we need to consider in this passage is that it is being told to the apostle John, in exhile on the island of Patmos for the unspeakable crime of speaking the Lord Jesus to the people!  In essense, this is Jesus' explanation to John of the end times to come.  That being said, Jesus tells his former disciple that prophesy and good works simply were not enough to enter His kingdom.  I'm sure John may have questioned his own qualificatiions if only briefly.  However, I believe there is a explanation for this passage, as with everything Christ tells us.
It is the Lord Jesus who comes to the door of our hearts and knocks.  Will we let Him in, or will we ignore his repeated attempts to get our attention?  Revelation 3:20 says nothing about Jesus becoming frustrated, impatient and leaving if we refuse to acknowledge Him.  No, He only, "Stands at the door and knocks."  If we open that door, he will gladly enter our hearts and abide with us.  However, this decision is ours alone.  Jesus will never grow tired or weary of asking to be allowed into our hearts, will we let Him in?  His promise to abide with us forever should be reason enough.  Open the door.

~Scott~