"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name."
Revelation 3:8
This is interesting... later in this chapter is a more well-known verse, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him...," but in this one the door stands open. The two verses are directed to two different churches, the first one (with the open door) to the church in Philadelphia, and the second (the closed door) to the church of the Laodiceans. From the rest of the chapter, it sounds like the two different groups were different in how they were obeying and listening. Interestingly, there is a message to yet another church in the chapter that doesn't mention a door at all... just watching. So, I'm thinking that this kind of reflects the whole "turn to me and I will turn to you" theme as well. The more we listen to God and put him at the center of our lives, the more he will offer us opportunities and blessings. Maybe we have to watch for those opportunities when God visits our lives, and if we aren't watching, they might come and we're not ready for them.... maybe if we're paying a little bit more attention, there is a door and we see it and hear the knocking but sometimes don't take the time to open it, and although we had a better chance at that opportunity, it passes us by as well. Or maybe if we're listening hard and really trying, there is an open door, and all we have to do is walk through. ... we still could miss it, just like the others, but it's more obvious, and less likely. ... God blesses us all with opportunities and possibilities, but we don't always see or take those chances when we encounter them in life. Today, let's watch carefully for God's visits to our lives so we can do as he wills... and work harder at turning to God so that the doors will be more obvious, and more open, when they come along. :)
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