Behold, I stand at the door and knock...

 

Another version of those famous verses puts it like this:

 “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. 

When reading this recently, I imagined what might happen if Jesus turned up at my door as in this passage.

I'd go to the door and open it and Jesus would be there. He says 'can I come in?'

I look around and I see stuff all over the sofa. There are plates on the floor and the laundry is drying in the corner. The sink is full of plates and pans, and I'm sure I can see something growing on one of them. I am wearing pyjamas and I haven't showered. (I was tempted to say that I really wouldn't live like this, but if the inside of my head is like this, then I am!)

I look at all this and hesitate, and say 'maybe another day, right now isn't a good time'. I close the door.

I'd like to say it would happen differently, but in reality, I think that's how it would play out. Not because Jesus says to me 'please clean this up before I come in' or that he is looking disgusted, but because my fear of exposure is greater than my desire to see him. Or I want to head back to the sofa and turn on that steamy series I've been binge-watching.

If I let him in, what would he do? Probably bring food - he's done that before (John 21:9). He would push the pizza boxes off a chair and just sit and eat the food with me, and have a good chat. We would share a meal as friends. And then maybe fix the tap, or put the laundry away for me.

I really do think that spending time with Jesus would be and is amazing. Whether you know him yet or not. So I say to myself, why do I shut the door? Let us all take up his invitation and open the door and let him in.