Lord, Open to Us

Today's reading: Luke 13-16

When once the owner of the house has got up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then in reply he will say to you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Luke 13:25 NRSV

Have you ever been ignored or not recognized by someone who should know you? It is not a good feeling. Makes you feel horribly insignificant and embarrassed.

What Jesus is talking about goes beyond those feelings.  Jesus is talking about salvation.

He has been asked what a person must do to be saved. He responds that one must try for the more difficult way as not everyone will be able to be saved. Then he gives the story of a home owner who has gone to bed and someone stands outside knocking to be let in, obviously emphasizing the First Century custom of hospitality. The home owner claims he doesn't know them. The person says they ate and drank with them when the home owner taught on the streets. But the home owner doesn't know where the person has come from.

The more difficult way is through a narrow door. Knocking on the front door of the house must be the easy way in and the way of most rejections.

Do you think you have attempted to go through the narrow door? Or are you setting yourself up to enter the front door?

God, being Christ' s followers is not easy. However, we try to make it so. Help us to realize it is about attempting the narrow door and the more difficult way. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Copyright 2010 Amelia G. Sims