“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.” (NAB, RV 3:20) Jesus wants to be with us. He wants to share in our lives. He desires to be intimate, and he expresses that longing into this reading from the Book of Revelation.

These familiar verses have appeared in artwork as paintings and even more recently, as versus in contemporary Christian songs. Its’ important, however, to understand the context of these words attributed to Jesus. He is speaking to a “lukewarm” church, a church that is “rich and affluent,” having all it needs, but failing to recognize that it is actually “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” (c.f., RV 3:17)

Jesus is knocking on the door of us Christians who have grown lukewarm in living out our faith, who are just trying to get by, who are no longer motivated to transform society with the love of Christ, or who have fallen prey to society’s attitudes and celebration of mediocrity and disinterest. Jesus is waiting to be invited in as he knocks on the doors of the hearts of apathetic and disinterested Christians. If we have the courage and wisdom to invite him in, he will enter and dine (i.e., commune) with us. Jesus wants encounter. He desires relationship. He seeks communion.

Heavenly Father, let me hear the voice of Jesus and open the door to my life, so that he may enter and enliven my spirit. May I encounter him and draw closer to him in communion and love. May my eyes be opened to the true riches of this world and seek only your glory. Amen.

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