Today's reading from Roman's 13:8-14 contained the following in vs 11-14,
Holman Hunt - The Light of the World 1853 Keble College, Oxford and St. Paul's Cathedral.
The image has been thought to have been inspired by “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. – Revelation 3:20
After reflecting on the image as well as Romans 13, I conjure up thoughts of the time when I peeked out from behind the garden door.
My door was covered with ivy. I had kept it closed for a long time. It had no outer handle for strangers to force it open.
Who was this person outside in the dark?
Why did he want to come in?
He wants me to do what!?
Put on THAT!?
ME?
"Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."I was reminded of how before we put on the "armour of light", we have to let Jesus into our lives in the first place. In addition, the idea that "the day is near" brought to mind the following picture.
The image has been thought to have been inspired by “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me”. – Revelation 3:20
After reflecting on the image as well as Romans 13, I conjure up thoughts of the time when I peeked out from behind the garden door.
My door was covered with ivy. I had kept it closed for a long time. It had no outer handle for strangers to force it open.
Who was this person outside in the dark?
Why did he want to come in?
He wants me to do what!?
Put on THAT!?
ME?
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We all have those epiphanies, I think. Some of us, however, refuse to get up off the couch and open the door.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
I think Christ knocks so loudly that everyone immediately gets up from the couch and opens the door. It is what happens after that which determines our spiritual lives: some are unable to see Him, and assume it was the wind or a trick; some see Him and invite Him in right away; some don't recognize Him, and keep Him standing on the doorstep, chatting with him for awhile, and then let Him in.
ReplyDeleteAnd some see Him, recognize Him and shut the door quickly, lock it, and turn the TV way, way up...and those are the ones that Christ and we as Christians surely grieve over.
TNS, in retrospect, I like your analogy better, though I think to keep it closer to the parable of the sower, there have to be few people (the stony ground) who do refuse to even hear the knock, like those who are avoiding visitors.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Yes there are those who refuse to hear the knock. Part of our job is to help them to listen.
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