Open up to Jesus

Revelation 3:14,20

14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:  20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

In the revelation to John, Jesus instructs an angel to write to the church of Laodicea. It is interesting that for the previous six churches Jesus gave a statement of correction and then a statement of affirmation. For Laodicea the statement was about their lack of enthusiasm for the church; for Christ compared them to lukewarm water, which will wet the mouth but was not very pleasant for drinking. Jesus offers the church hope saying that if anyone hears Him calling they should open the door and He would come in as an intimate friend to be with them.

In his love for us Jesus acts like a hound-dog, intense and focused as he pursues the hunt. That image comes from Francis Thompson, a 19th century British poet who wrote "The Hound of Heaven." Although Thompson was a follower of Christ, he struggled with poverty, poor health, and an addiction to opium (which in those days was sold as an "over-the-counter" medication).

In the depths of his despair, Thompson described his flight from God: "I fled him, down the nights and down the days. I hid from him, and under running laughter. I sped … from those strong feet that followed, followed after [me]."

But Thompson also knew the unrelenting love of Jesus, the hound of heaven. In the poem Jesus pursues Thompson with "unhurrying chase, and unperturbed pace, deliberate speed, and majestic instancy [or urgency]." He hears the feet of Jesus beating after him as Jesus calls, "All things betray those who betray me."

In a recent biography of John Stott, Stott refers to Thompson's poem. According to Stott, he owes his faith in Christ not to his parents or teachers or even his own decision, but to Jesus, "the hound of heaven." Stott writes:

[My faith is] due to Jesus Christ himself, who pursued me relentlessly even when I was running away from him in order to go my own way. And if it were not for the gracious pursuit of the hound of heaven I would today be on the scrap-heap of wasted and discarded lives.

[Roger Steer, Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott (IVP Books, 2009), pp. 262-263;]

Jesus never gives up pursuing a relationship with us. Even when we are ignoring Him, Jesus comes and knocks at the door of our heart waiting for us to fellowship with Him. Jesus loves at all times and defends us when Satan accuses us. Jesus is our savior, our friend, and someone we need to spend time with. Open the door of your heart to Jesus and get to know Him in a very personal and intimate way.