The Man in the Picture

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me” Rev 3:20.

As the calendar turns to February, I find myself this morning overwhelmed with spiritual sentiment. Thirteen years ago, this month marks the point of time when I heard a gentle knock on the door of my heart. The knock wasn’t frantic or excited rather one that came with simple introduction when I wasn’t expecting company. This picture below has hung in the little cozy extension of our kitchen for many years. It was in Bruce’s parents' home as he was growing up and we had it framed. It is a common picture but one that has taken life over the past 13 years.

Jesus probably had knocked many times over the course of my life, but things were too noisy for me to hear Him. Focus was too concentrated on the things of this world instead of the things of the next world which will be my home. Thankfully, 13 years ago as I passed by the door, I heard the gentle knocking and I stopped to answer. He entered my home in full and took up residence in my heart. Instead of the picture that hung I was experiencing the fellowship of the real thing. As we began spending time together life unfolded and He walked with me through each challenging season as if moving through my home together room by room…season by season. Twelve weeks after He moved in Daddy was diagnosed with incurable cancer. A week later my father-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and we began supporting him and his wife at every turn. A few years later Beth was diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer and we said our ‘goodbyes for now’ to her 11 short months later. Eleven months after that Bud came to live with us in the final year of his Alzheimer’s. Three weeks later my precious dad died and 11 months after that Bud died. There have been more rooms since then through which the Lord and I have walked, some joyful and some heartbreaking. And that is the point of my spiritual sentiment this morning.

The Lord didn’t cause all this, but He saw the tough road that was going to unfold before me. He rushed in to prepare me and equip me since He saw my faith wasn’t strong enough for the journey ahead. That is how much I am loved by the Man in the picture…and so are you. So, for the one who is battling a disease let Him carry you. For the person who has been separated by the death of a loved one…let Him comfort you until you see them again. For the lonely heart that is waiting on love…let Him love on you. For the parent who fears the future for their child…let Him protect them for you. God loves every one of us enough to have sent His Son to become more for us than just a man in the picture.