We have a marvelous old mansion on our campus. The music department claims it as its own. I think they laid claim to it because it has some very nice rooms for recitals. This morning we held our winter graduation in its nicest room. When the service concluded I found myself trapped in one of the rooms by a hoard of graduates, well-wishers and families of the grads. You can imagine how pleased I was when I spotted another door. “Aha,” I thought. “I can sneak out the back way.” Upon opening the lovely ornate door I was confronted with a wall. The door didn’t go anywhere.
I have been thinking about that door to nowhere and remembered John 10. Jesus refers to Himself as “The Door.” It’s a great metaphor. Doors can open the way to fabulous opportunities and doors can close behind us to keep us safe. Do you remember “Let’s Make a Deal” where contestants had to select Door Number One, Two or Three? Sometimes one of them had a Zonk. I promise you Jesus never opens a door with a Zonk. The door He opens is the door to eternity with never ending growth. When we step through we leave behind a world of frustration, failure and fatalities.
At first I wanted to say going through that door is like entering a room filled with people who shout “Surprise” because it is your birthday. But that cannot be because eternal life is a gift given now. Jesus promised. Jesus keeps His promises and that is no surprise.
Written by Roger Bothwell on Janary 12, 2009
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
rogerbothwell.org