“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, [then] I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.” — Revelation 3:20
One of my fellow jail ministers, George, likes to use the painting “The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt to make the point of inviting Jesus into our hearts and lives. It’s a wonderful way to illustrate that WE must ask Jesus into our lives. Our Lord never forces himself on us, but is always waiting for an invitation to open the door to our heart.
When Hunt painted this piece in the 1850’s, he invited his fellow artists to find the mistake in the painting or better yet to discover its secret. It took a while by finally a young artist said, “There is no mistake in the painting, but you forgot to paint a handle on the door.”
That was the secret, but it wasn’t a mistake! Hunt intentionally painted the door without a handle to make the point of Revelation 3:20. Jesus stands and knocks at the door of our hearts, but there is no handle on his side. We must invite him in.
Have you asked Jesus into your heart? He is waiting, knocking on the door of your heart, ready to give you a new life that will last forever.
If you examine Hunt’s painting closely, you will see other symbolism. Jesus is still wearing the crown of thorns and his face is sad. He’s been knocking at your door a long time. Why haven’t you welcomed Jesus in? Do you suffer from the “obstinately closed mind” that Hunt said keeps us from a new life in Jesus.
Jesus is carrying a lamp to light the pathway. Are you spending your life in darkness? Jesus invites us into his light, the light of the world. Are you willing to let Jesus be the light of your life?
In front of the door weeds have grown. Do you feel that you are living your life in the weeds? Or, that the weeds are so high that you can barely see the light of day? Jesus is there to remove the weeds. All you need to do is ask.
As with the parable of the prodigal son, all that the repentant son needed to do was make the first move, and his father ran out to meet him.
Jesus is waiting at the door of your heart, knocking patiently. For many of us, he has been knocking for a long time. There is no time better that right now to open the door.
Let Jesus, the light of the world, be the light of your life.
*The Light of the World (1853–54) is an allegorical painting by William Holman Hunt.
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