Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
Whatever your relationship with God is like, know that it can be much closer. What is it that defines your relationship with God? If you're like me, it can probably be much more intimate and much closer. In our Verse of the Day, Jesus Christ talks about an amazing passage which shows us how to have a closer relationship with God. It's Revelation chapter 3, verse 20. "'Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.'"
The Context of the Verse
The Apostle John wrote Revelation. In chapter 1, verse 1, he talks about the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show His servants the things that must take place. John's on the island of Patmos. He's there, exiled because of the Word of God and the truth that he had been proclaiming. Then, in Revelation chapter 3, he finishes rebuking the Laodicean church because they were lukewarm. They weren't hot, they weren't cold—they were lukewarm. The Bible says God spit them out of His mouth.
Christ's Initiative
In that context, in Revelation chapter 3, Jesus shares some things here through the Apostle John. Number one, we'll call it Christ's initiative: "'Look! I stand at the door and knock.'" The Bible talks about how John was talking to these churches—there were mature ones, there were immature ones, or there were carnal ones. The church of Laodicea, as I just said, was lukewarm. So, Jesus comes along and says, "'Look, I stand at the door and knock.'" This is Christ's initiative.
Your Initiative
Secondly, your initiative: "'If you hear my voice and open the door.'" It's happened before. We've had people come over for candy at Halloween, and it's gotten late at night, and sometimes the lights were off and we didn't answer the door. This is God Himself, if you will, and He desires to have a relationship with you and me. When Adam and Eve were placed in the garden, God wasn't just there to kind of watch over them and merely take care of them, but He wanted to have a relationship with them, just like He wants a relationship with us. Will we open the door and really commune with God?
Christ's Friendship
Thirdly, we see Christ's friendship, or Christ's fellowship. He says right there in the verse, "'I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.'" I've had a lot of meals with people. I've had a lot of wonderful times with friends and family over a meal. This is Jesus Christ saying He doesn't just want to kind of hang out or be at a distance. Jesus Christ wants to be intimate with us.
What We Can Do
What do we do in this passage? First, confess our struggles. There's just times I don't want to spend time in the Word the way I should. I don't want to think about the things of God the way I should. We should confess our struggles and ask the Lord for help. Secondly, let's commit to spend time with Him. God's Word is the avenue by which we get to know God intimately.
How intimate and close is our relationship with God? Whatever your relationship with God is right now, whatever your relationship with Jesus Christ is, it can be better and it can be closer. Jesus Christ wants to be more intimate with us.
