Last week we looked at how God viewed the Laodicea Church and the counsel that he brought. This week we will look at how God deals with us after he has brought our attention of where and how we really are. After all, how God sees us is really the most important view.
We pick up where we left the scripture, at where God brings his solution to us.
Revelation 3:14-22 (NIV)
To the Church in Laodicea 14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness,the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Verse 19 shows the love of God. He goes from spewing/spitting out the Laodicean Church to loving them and showing them the way forward together.
God says; "Behold I stand at the door and knock". He is waiting – always a gentleman, knocking on our hearts, longing for relationship. This shows such love towards not only the Laodicean Church but also to us. We should be looking for the door and knocking. We see in John 10:7 that Jesus is the door.
At conversion we see this in operation. A knocking - a calling of the Holy Spirit.
"If anyone hears my voice" - My sheep hear my voice - This is communication by the word, by the still small voice, by a situation, by a person – all of these things can bring confirmation.
"And opens the door" - Will we open the door to our hearts? What do we keep to ourselves? Let Jesus in.
"I will come in" - He will not be slow. He can be trusted. He is faithful. The Holy Spirit will dwell within you. You are a temple of God.
"Eat with him" - Eating together is a sign of relationship. There is no better way to get to know someone than around a meal, it brings relaxation and a levelling of people. We are all same height at the table!
A picture I once saw was a picture by Holman Hunt called “light of the world”
It shows…
Jesus knocking the door
Jesus is standing and waiting
Jesus brings the light at a dark time
The Door is over grown – This represents our heart
There is NO door handle - it can only be opened from the inside.
We can trust God because He has our best interests at heart.
After God has shown us how he views us, he shows us the way forward together.
Let’s start this New Year open to what God wants.
Blog by Darren Butkus