It’s amazing how much of the typical Christian’s spiritual life is all about them. If we’re serious about our faith, we may spend a lot of our time taking our spiritual temperature and blood pressure—sort of like spiritual hypochondriacs. But in the scriptures it’s all about God. And under the New Covenant it’s all about the Son of God. What place are we giving God Himself in our lives?
In Revelation, Jesus chides the Christians in Ephesus:
“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” (Revelation 2:4)
And a little later He says to the Christians in Laodicea who had grown lukewarm:
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20Behold, 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.” (Revelation 3:19–20)
We often use the second passage for evangelism, but it’s actually addressed to Christians! Eating together was an expression of intimate friendship and Jesus Himself seeks to have that
kind of relationship with each of them and. . . with each of us. He wants that intimacy! But how do we respond to His knock?This reminds me of a passage in Isaiah, where God shamelessly reveals how He vulnerable He makes Himself to His people:
“I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me;
I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me.
I said, “Here I am, here I am,”
to a nation that was not called by my name.
I spread out my hands all the day
to a rebellious people,
who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own devices;
3a people who provoke me
to my face continually” (Isaiah 65:1–4)
God wants us so much that He is willing to leave His heart open to being rejected!
I picture the people I see in airports standing just outside of “security” eagerly waiting for a loved one. In my mind’s eye I can see a husband or wife standing with face aglow and arms outstretched as they see their loved one coming out through security. And now picture with me the long-awaited traveler turning aside to talk with a fellow passenger, completely ignoring the waiting husband or wife, and walking right past them toward baggage claim. Can you image the hurt, the disappointment, the rejection that they would feel for their love to be so spurned?
That is what God is describing in Isaiah 65. He is ready to be sought. He is ready to be found. He stands waiting with outstretched arms, but His people turn aside after other pursuits. Now imagine our own lifestyle. When we wake up in the morning are we aware that God is there waiting to begin the day with us? Do we completely ignore the waiting Savior and get on with life with barely a thought for him? Do we turn on the news, check our email, answer our text messages, and ready ourselves to face the day without a thought for the Savior who’s been eagerly waiting for us with outstretched arms? Are we self-absorbed or God focused?
If you find these questions convicting remember that just before He talked about standing at the door and knocking Jesus said:
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.” (Rev. 3:19)
As Isaiah urges us:
“Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)