Closed Door

Closed Door

One night, as I fell asleep, I prayed my first prayer: God, if You are real, come to me. I fell asleep.

Hours later, a pounding on the back door woke me. Funny thing, the dog didn’t seem to hear the knocking. “Go away,” I shouted. “It’s too late for visitors!” The pounding grew insistent. This time I got up, opened the bedroom window, and shouted, “I don’t want you now. Come back later.” The knocking grew louder. Again, I shouted from the window, “Whatever it is you want, it can wait. Go AWAY!” All night long the knocking continued. I covered my head with a pillow. I stuffed my ears with earplugs. What a headache it gave me, but I refused to go downstairs. I was not going to answer that knocking. The persistence seemed rude. Strange thing — nobody heard the knocking but me.

In the morning, I went downstairs. The knocker was still at the door. Pound—pound—pound. “Stop it,” I shouted through the door. “Go away. I don’t need you!” Finally, the knocking stopped. After coffee, I cautiously opened the door. There was a business card. On it was printed, “I stand at the door and knock; open and let me in.” In handwriting it said, “You called me, and I came. I’ll be back.” Night after night, it was the same thing. Will God never stop?

Let’s Pray: Dear God, we think we don’t need You, but then in desperation we pray, and when You show up, we don’t let You in. Open our stubborn hearts. Amen.

Today’s Thought Is: God is persistent, and we are stubborn. Why not just open the door?