Lent! We’re now 2 weeks into this annual pilgrimage to meet Jesus at the Cross and then to experience His resurrection of that wonderful Easter Sunday.
For those of you who’ve been here for a while, you’ll know I love Lent. For me, it’s always a season to recalibrate, to assess my relationship with Jesus. Many times, I’m sure, I’ve been guilty of striving a little too much by reading multiple devotionals, undertaking certain disciplines and beating myself up because I’m lousy at fasting.
Not this year. As I mentioned in my last post, Jesus offers us himself and describes himself as gentle and humble. He’s not after our striving.
I was only reflecting on this verse we probably all know well:
“Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you.” (Revelation 3:20 MSG)
Jesus is standing at our door. Knocking. He wants us to open it so he can come in and join us in whatever we’re doing. It’s a lovely image, isn’t it, because I feel sometimes, we think (well, I know I do) that we must step out of the door to go meet him. So prayer, for example, is opening that door for Jesus to come in. He joins us and dialogues with us.
The Table
The theme my church has adopted this year for Lent is ‘The Table’. Jesus’ banquet of love, grace and power is waiting for us. He brings it when we open the door. His Kingdom. It’s already prepared. All we have to do is open the door.
But experiences are usually more fun when we share them with others. We can open the door and not only, Jesus, walks in, but others to. A banquet isn’t nearly as much fun when we’re the only ones sitting at the table.
Community can be challenging for us Sumites. We’ve often talked about the fact that inviting Christian sisters and brothers into our lives can be difficult if our partner struggles with it. Going to church can be difficult for many of us. Attending a midweek group similarly.
Open the Door
For many years I grappled with this struggle. My partner was concerned she’d lose me to the church and God-things. I understand that. At the same time, she knew I wasn’t the same person without Jesus. The fruit of my relationship with him was some of the reason she loves me.
I opened the door by simply inviting Jesus into the matter. His table is full of all kinds of people and yes, it has its challenges but gosh, the banquet is grand.
When I was sick last year with pneumonia, Fiona witnessed the community come around us in support, prayer and love. It touched her immensely. She met people who’d she’d only ever heard about. She witnessed the wonder of Christian community.
Now I’m not suggesting we all need to get seriously sick for this to happen. It’s taken years of simply opening the door to Jesus, inviting him into solving the ‘other’s issue for us. And he keeps doing it because he knows that walking with others grows our faith and brings about transformation, not just in ourselves, but in the wider community.
May I encourage you today, to simply open the door. To Jesus. Let him come inside and join you in whatever is going on in your day. He loves you so much, he’ll never stop knocking, because he created you for love, for himself and others.
Big love, my friends ❤️
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