He's Still Knocking

“Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.” Revelation 3:20

This was a message from Jesus to the church in Laodicea. This was the church that had become lukewarm. They thought they were good but were not aware of how much they needed Jesus. Jesus was telling them, either be hot or cold but don’t be in the middle. After explaining this, He told them that He was standing at the door of their heart, knocking to come in.

Many of us have opened our hearts to Jesus when we felt like we needed Him, but then we haven’t opened up to Him since. We accepted Him as Savior, but then we started to become like this church, lukewarm. We became content with doing things but having no real passion. We became content with tradition with no power. We became stuck. Yet, Jesus has been knocking at the door to our hearts asking to come in.

The Bible says “So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

What we let in our hearts control us. If we allow anger and frustration, bitterness and unforgiveness, doubt and worry in our hearts, we won’t be willing to open up to Jesus. When He comes in and feasts with us, we are better because of it. We are nourished. We are sustained. We receive strength. But the only way He comes in is if we open the door to let Him in.

What things are in the way of Jesus coming in your heart? I’m not saying you don’t believe in Jesus. I’m not saying you haven’t started following Him. But I am saying that the idea that we only open our hearts to Jesus once may be getting many of us in trouble. He wants those parts that you try to hide from others. He wants the part that you deny to yourself because you’ve been dealing with it for so long. He wants to take the place of the complacency you’ve allowed to enter your life.

When we open our hearts to Jesus, He comes in and He changes everything. If many of us are honest, that’s what scares us. Maybe you’ve had bad examples of people who professed Jesus. Maybe you just don’t want to give up control but Jesus is still there, knocking. He’s wondering if you will give up that pride and let Him in. He’s wondering if you would give up your need to please yourself and let Him in. He’s wondering if you will stop trying to be your own god and let Him in.

Today, I encourage you to open your heart to Jesus. I know you did it before in a service or when you had no other option, but today let Him in. Let Him deal with your anger issues. Let Him deal with your worry. Let Him deal with your complacency. Let Him deal with the issues of your heart. He’s still knocking. Will you let Him in?