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     Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:19-20

Dear Lord Jesus, because the gospel is true, every day is an experience of living the hymn “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go,” for you love us tenaciously and you pursue us constantly. As hard as it is to imagine, you desire fellowship with us more than we do with you. It’s even harder to imagine that you actually enjoy being with us—that you constantly delight in us. We believe, Lord, help our unbelief.

In the gospel we enjoy an eternal unbreakable union with you; but for various reasons, we tend to flow in and out of vital communion with you. The sad thing is, sometimes we don’t recognize our heart drift for a quite a while—days, even months. It’s usually the people around us who first recognize our being out of fellowship with you; for being with you changes the way we relate to everyone in our web of relationships.

Jesus, that’s why there’s no greater rebuke than to hear you knock on the door of our hearts; yet, at the same time, that knock comes as an expression of great love—like a kiss. Indeed, nothing is more convicting than to hear your voice on the other side of that door pursing us; yet your voice is that of a bridegroom wooing his beloved bride.

It’s because you love us that you confront us and discipline us. All of your rebukes are life-giving, and when you discipline us, though it’s painful, it’s always for our good and for our freedom. It’s your kindness that leads us to repentance. You’ll never humiliate us, only humble us; you’ll never shame us, only shake us to wake us back up to gospel sanity.

Jesus, your knock and your voice in the gospel are so powerful, and by faith, right now, we rise to greet you. Come in and let us feast together this very day. You are the bread we need the most. You give the water that alone quenches our thirst. Being with you, we desire nothing else on this earth.

Until the day when daily fellowship meals are replaced with a Wedding Feast, may we have to hear your knock on the outside of the door way less often. So very Amen we pray, with gratefulness, in your loving name.

 

 

 

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