In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, "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".
This verse tells us that Jesus wants friendship with us. He wants to be a part of our lives. When you invite someone into your home for a meal, it's an act of vulnerability. When you do that, you're letting people be a part of your lives. You're extending friendship to your guests. You're telling them that you want to get to know them better-- that they're worth your time and effort.
Here, Jesus is knocking on the door of our lives, and we can either turn off the lights, crouch down and pretend that nobody's home-- leaving him on the outside, or we can open the door and invite him in as a friend. While often this verse is used to talk about how Jesus wants a friendship with people who aren't yet Christians, what's so interesting is that Jesus is actually saying these words to a church-- to a group of Christians. What that says to me is that we can know and love Jesus but still be a bit distant from him. We can accept what Jesus did for us on the cross, but still feel disconnected from him. What Jesus is reminding us here is that he wants more than just a business arrangement with us. He doesn't just want us to be acquaintances. He wants to have a real friendship- a relationship- a closeness.
Friendships take some work and effort to ensure that they're healthy and strong. Here are just a few practical ways we can "open the door" and maintain a close relationship with the God who loves us.
1. Meet together as the church regularly.
When we get together once a week on Sundays, we are carving a specific time out of our schedule to make room for Jesus. There are many other ways we can spend that time, but when we dedicate our Sunday mornings to God, we're saying that he's important- that we value his friendship and believe that it's a non-negotiable. Have you ever had a friend make time for you even when they were really busy? Whether it was a just a phone call or a face-to-face meeting, I'm sure it made you feel loved, valued, and important. When we get together on Sundays, that's what we're saying to Jesus. On Sundays, we take the time to pause and reflect on what the Bible says and what it means for our lives. We have an opportunity to respond to that message through worship and prayer, and we can also foster friendships with other Christians. If you're a parent, your commitment to Sundays communicates something important to your kids. Not only will they experience the same things that you do (Bible teaching, prayer, worship and community), but they will clearly see that your relationship with Jesus is a priority and that nothing else is worth interrupting that time.
2. Read the Bible throughout the week.
Something we started really early with our kids was reading a Bible story together before bed. As a treat, we sometimes use the free Bible App for Kids. One thing we've noticed is that simply by spending 5-10 minutes each day reading the Bible together, our kids have learned and grown so much in their faith. They've learned about God's history with humanity, and that he loves us despite the fact that we fail. They've seen how Jesus wasn't just an ordinary person, but proved that He was God by doing the miraculous- forgiving people's sins, and even rising from the dead! These times with the Bible have also molded their sense of morality, where they know the difference between right and wrong and are encouraged to follow Jesus in everyday life. Imagine what would happen if us grownups did that too? Just a few minutes of looking into God's Word each day can make a significant spiritual impact on our lives.
3. Worship God throughout the week.
I used to be a huge listener of non-Christian music. While my friends in college were listening to churchy stuff, I was listening to Radiohead, Pavement, The White Stripes, and a slew of other indie-rock bands. While I still really love a lot of that stuff, something strange happened a few years ago. Right before I had kids, I really felt that God wanted me to devote more of my time to worshiping him, particularly whenever I was driving in the car. I started buying modern worship albums and by listening and singing along to those, I found that my relationship with Jesus felt a lot stronger and healthier. I also discovered that, whenever I was driving in the car with my kids, they were learning the worship songs (many of which are based on Bible passages) and singing along too! These days, it's not unusual for me to be in the next room and to hear my 4-year-old daughter making up songs about Jesus and how much God loves us. Take advantage of some of your down time when in the car or commuting to work to express your thanks to God. Pick up a few worship albums that the whole family can enjoy, and keep them on constant rotation as you go about your day!
4. Talk to God on a regular basis.
In the old 1960's Batman TV series, Commissioner Gordon had a weird red phone on his desk. The phone didn't have any dials or buttons, but whenever he picked it up, it was a direct line to Batman. We have that same kind of direct connection to God. We can talk to him at any time! It's really hard to maintain a friendship with someone if we never talk to them. Is it any wonder that we start to feel distant and disconnected from Jesus when we haven't maintained an open line of communication? This is something I've tried to model for my kids. Whenever we hear of someone in need, we take the time to stop what we're doing and pray for that person or situation. One of the odd traditions we started while driving in the car is that, whenever we see an ambulance, we pray that God would give the paramedics and doctors wisdom, that God would heal the person who is sick or in trouble, and that through that situation the person and his/her family would come to know Jesus. These days, even when I'm a bit tired or don't feel like it at the time (and we all have those days), my kids are the ones who will spot an ambulance and demand that we pray. How can I say no to that kind of request?
This summer --and beyond-- think about how Jesus is knocking on your door. By taking some time to invest in your friendship, by opening the door and inviting him into your lives, in just a few small and simple ways, you'll feel closer and better connected to him, you'll be able to hear his voice and the leading of the Holy Spirit far more clearly, you'll have the strength to fight temptation, and you'll notice that you and your family will have grown and matured in your faith.
