Knocking

I was in Paris on a double-decker tour bus when I saw them.  And even though it was February and cold I wanted to be outside and riding up high.  I didn't want to miss a thing.  I had my camera ready and set on action.  When we rounded a corner there they were--two big huge banners hanging on either side of great big wooden doors.  Being that the words on the banners were in French, I quickly snapped a picture as I knew it would take me a few seconds to process what they said into English.

I felt my eyes fill with tears.  I didn't want to think about the words, not right then, not with my husband's coworker sitting next to us, not with a bus full of tourists.  I wanted to be all alone. However, sometimes I have little control over where I am and when my emotions get the best of me.  Maybe it was jet lag but I don't think so.  I think it was what those banners said that brought the tears.

The first banner said this--Where is Jesus?
The banner hanging on the other side of the doors said this--He is standing at the door and knocking.


Why the tears?  Why was I so affected at that time?  I think it was because of where those banners were hanging.  They were on the outside of an old cathedral.  A beautiful old church, somewhere on the route that the tour bus was taking.  The first question hit me hard.  Where is Jesus?  I thought to myself--well, people should be able to open those great big old doors and find out.  However, the doors were closed and most likely locked.  The second question though is really what brought the tears.  It told you where He was.  He's standing at the door!  Couldn't they hear Him knocking?  Couldn't they see Him?  Why were the doors closed, He's right there, outside the doors?  Let Him in!


I wanted to jump off the bus, I wanted to bang on the doors of the church and yell open up.  But the bus drove on and took me along with it.  Tears were streaming down my face, people looked away.  I turned my head out towards the street and we went in search of our next tourist destination.

I had a lot to think about after that day.  I am thankful that I was able to snap a quick picture before moving on, and I am thankful that many years before that day in Paris I opened up the very door that the banners were referring to.  The door of my heart.  In the Biblical metaphor, Jesus is standing at the door of our hearts, and He is knocking.  All we have to do is open that door and let Him in.  I did that.  Years ago, I did that.  So, you see, when I saw those banners, I thought of 2 things--those that had not yet opened the doors of their hearts to Jesus, and that thought made me sad.  And, I also thought of the many churches in the world who claim to have Jesus in the midst of their congregations, and yet, we know that really they have not even opened their church doors to Him.  And try as I might, I could never get the picture of those banners out of my head.

It has been several years now and I have been to Paris many more times.  I have looked for the cathedral but haven't found it.  I wanted to see if the banners were still there.  I wanted to ask--has anyone knocked?
It's such a simple thing--knocking.  And yet so many are afraid to open their doors.  I wasn't afraid, I was only 6 years old.  He said I'm knocking and I said Ok, and I threw open the doors of my heart and said, come on in.  Child-like faith-- super small, super trusting, super innocent--and I hope that when it comes to Jesus I'm always like that.  I hope I never change.

Where is Jesus?  He is standing at the door of your heart and knocking--can you hear Him?