Will You Open the Door? - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 24

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Will You Open the Door?
By Megan Conner

Bible Reading:
“See! 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 3:20 (CSB)

Have you ever felt like God is absent in your life? You look around but can’t seem to find any evidence of Him in your home or heart. You find yourself asking: Where is God? Does He see me? Does He even care? If that is you today, please know you are not alone. There have been many moments in my own journey where I have asked these same exact questions. While there are seasons when God allows us to wander in the desert while He works all things out for our good, often our assumed separation is just an illusion. He is so much closer than we imagine.

“See! 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 3:20 (CSB)

The key to accessing His presence is as simple as unlocking the door of our own hearts. He is right there, patiently waiting and beckoning to us from the other side.

There is a moving painting called The Light of the World by artist William Holman Hunt which beautifully illustrates this scripture. In it, Jesus stands at the door, carrying a light that illuminates the darkness. His arm is outstretched and He knocks upon a wooden door. If you look closely at the image, you will notice, there is no handle on the outside of the door. Entrance can only be granted from within. What an incredible depiction of how our Lord calls to our own hearts. He will not beat down the door or force His way in.  

Instead, he patiently waits for us to recognize His nearness and gentle call. There are several instances where we can see this same representation in scripture. One of my favorite examples is in 1 Kings 19:11-12.

“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (NKJV)

This passage takes place just after the prophet Elijah escaped to the wildness because his life was threatened by Jezebel. Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to a dank, dark cave and in a true moment of desolation. Just like our scripture from Revelation, God is the one who called out to Elijah first. The Lord saw his suffering and angst. Moved with compassion, He encouraged and assured Elijah that He was still present and working in and through the current circumstances. This assurance was not shouted. It was whispered; just as the same soft invitation speaks to us today.

At the center of it all is the condition of our hearts. There have been times when I have discovered my affections had unknowingly grown cold and distant from the One I love. He had not departed from me. He remained, as always, ever-present. It was I who had drifted. Yet, the Lord is so merciful, and it's His kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Each and every time I have sensed this invitation to soften my heart and return to Him, my Lord was right there, lovingly accepting me into His open waiting arms.

Where is your heart today? If you feel alone or separated from your Heavenly Father, I pray you choose to crack open your heart. He stands at the door, longing to come in and fellowship with you. Will you answer his call today?

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What does it really mean to open the door of our hearts? How do we practically apply this in our daily lives? The key to opening the door of our hearts is surrender. So often, our distance or distrust of the Lord is due to our own disappointments or disillusionments. We believe God should provide or act in a specific manner. When outcomes are not what we anticipated, mistrust sneaks into our hearts and we unknowingly distance ourselves from God.

Even if you are not confident that you can fully trust in God’s plans for your life, I encourage you to take one small step of faith today and yield to His invitation. Trust is built through relationships. Closed doors will never foster intimacy. Our God is faithful. If you place your heart in His hands, I promise He will reveal His unending love to you.

Further Reading:
1 Kings 19
Romans 8:37-39

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/peterschreiber.media 

Megan Conner bio pic author profileMegan J. Conner is an author, editor, speaker, avid consumer of literature, writing consultant, and overall lover of all things creative!  She is passionate about the written word and compelling storytelling. Whether that is through imaginative and whimsical children’s literature or faith-based works that allow readers to be immersed in narratives of authentic faith shared through the lives of imperfect people, Megan hopes to remind audiences of the beauty and power of shared stories.

To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter.  If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

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Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

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Will You Open the Door? - The Crosswalk Devotional - February 24

Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

The Crosswalk Devotional updated banner logo

Will You Open the Door?
By Megan Conner

Bible Reading:
“See! 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 3:20 (CSB)

Have you ever felt like God is absent in your life? You look around but can’t seem to find any evidence of Him in your home or heart. You find yourself asking: Where is God? Does He see me? Does He even care? If that is you today, please know you are not alone. There have been many moments in my own journey where I have asked these same exact questions. While there are seasons when God allows us to wander in the desert while He works all things out for our good, often our assumed separation is just an illusion. He is so much closer than we imagine.

“See! 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 3:20 (CSB)

The key to accessing His presence is as simple as unlocking the door of our own hearts. He is right there, patiently waiting and beckoning to us from the other side.

There is a moving painting called The Light of the World by artist William Holman Hunt which beautifully illustrates this scripture. In it, Jesus stands at the door, carrying a light that illuminates the darkness. His arm is outstretched and He knocks upon a wooden door. If you look closely at the image, you will notice, there is no handle on the outside of the door. Entrance can only be granted from within. What an incredible depiction of how our Lord calls to our own hearts. He will not beat down the door or force His way in.  

Instead, he patiently waits for us to recognize His nearness and gentle call. There are several instances where we can see this same representation in scripture. One of my favorite examples is in 1 Kings 19:11-12.

“Then He said, ‘Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.’ And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” (NKJV)

This passage takes place just after the prophet Elijah escaped to the wildness because his life was threatened by Jezebel. Elijah traveled forty days and forty nights to a dank, dark cave and in a true moment of desolation. Just like our scripture from Revelation, God is the one who called out to Elijah first. The Lord saw his suffering and angst. Moved with compassion, He encouraged and assured Elijah that He was still present and working in and through the current circumstances. This assurance was not shouted. It was whispered; just as the same soft invitation speaks to us today.

At the center of it all is the condition of our hearts. There have been times when I have discovered my affections had unknowingly grown cold and distant from the One I love. He had not departed from me. He remained, as always, ever-present. It was I who had drifted. Yet, the Lord is so merciful, and it's His kindness that leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Each and every time I have sensed this invitation to soften my heart and return to Him, my Lord was right there, lovingly accepting me into His open waiting arms.

Where is your heart today? If you feel alone or separated from your Heavenly Father, I pray you choose to crack open your heart. He stands at the door, longing to come in and fellowship with you. Will you answer his call today?

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What does it really mean to open the door of our hearts? How do we practically apply this in our daily lives? The key to opening the door of our hearts is surrender. So often, our distance or distrust of the Lord is due to our own disappointments or disillusionments. We believe God should provide or act in a specific manner. When outcomes are not what we anticipated, mistrust sneaks into our hearts and we unknowingly distance ourselves from God.

Even if you are not confident that you can fully trust in God’s plans for your life, I encourage you to take one small step of faith today and yield to His invitation. Trust is built through relationships. Closed doors will never foster intimacy. Our God is faithful. If you place your heart in His hands, I promise He will reveal His unending love to you.

Further Reading:
1 Kings 19
Romans 8:37-39

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/peterschreiber.media 

Megan Conner bio pic author profileMegan J. Conner is an author, editor, speaker, avid consumer of literature, writing consultant, and overall lover of all things creative!  She is passionate about the written word and compelling storytelling. Whether that is through imaginative and whimsical children’s literature or faith-based works that allow readers to be immersed in narratives of authentic faith shared through the lives of imperfect people, Megan hopes to remind audiences of the beauty and power of shared stories.

To read more from Megan, check out her Blog, Just One More Chapter.  If you would like to connect further with Megan, you can discover more on her Website, on Facebook, or Instagram.

Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com

Listen to the Jesus Calling Podcast!

Welcome to this special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast, inspired by the topical themes from Sarah Young’s seasonal prayer devotional Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season. Today, we are featuring guests who speak to themes that all of us might be experiencing in this season of winter. As the days grow shorter and the night longer, we are offered a rare gift: permission to stop. This season can be a challenging time for many, and if you are struggling with low spirits, please know you are not alone, and help is available. This episode is an opportunity to honor your weariness, to resist the urge to rush, and to discover the profound healing that happens when we simply let ourselves rest in the stillness. If you like what you hear, be sure to follow Jesus Calling on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!

 

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