Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 16, 2016
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. Revelation 3:20
Years ago, my friend Gale called with a passion to pray for me. He had attended a Promise Keepers event and felt compelled by the Lord to systematically petition heaven on my behalf. How refreshing! As a vocational minister of the gospel, I was normally the one offering prayers, but not this time. For a full year Gale called me every Friday. He asked for an update on my prior week’s prayer, what new needs I had and then he led us in prayer together. Wow, this man loved me in the most intimate, helpful way! I gained inner strength by his love that initiated intimacy.
Jesus vividly paints the picture of Himself standing at the door of any person’s life (‘if anyone’). The Lord is the gentle guest waiting outside, ready to come in and engage with the occupant. His generous company receives and gives hospitality. His holy presence offers prayers on behalf of all needy for His grace. His sacrificial life, death and resurrection introduce the gift of salvation to everyone who invites Him in and trusts Him wholeheartedly. Jesus initiates intimacy to those who need Him as Savior and to those who desire to grow in their relationship with Him as friend.
“How fortunate those servants will be when the master knocks and they open the door immediately! You know what the master will do? He’ll put on an apron, sit them down at the kitchen table, and he’ll serve them a midnight snack” (Luke 12:37, The Voice).
Have you received the loving intimacy initiated by the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you received Him into your life as your personal Savior? If not, simply pray, “Jesus, I trust You for the forgiveness of my sins. I believe You died on the cross and rose from the grave. You are my God.” Perhaps Jesus lives in your life already, but you need a fresh infusion of His intimate love. Sit with Him in prayer and hear His tender voice affirm you, teach you, and heal your heart. Like opened shutters invite in warmth, so an open heart to Christ’s love enjoys warm intimacy.
Who needs you to initiate intimacy? A spouse, child, parent, sibling or friend? You can’t control their response, but you can continue to initiate unhurried time together. Make it easier to meet by planning ahead for both of you. Budget time and money. Intimacy is not easily achieved, but its fruit of trust, joy, knowing and being known is worth working through the cycles of pain and peace. Ultimately peace outlasts pain—when love learns to forgive and forget. Be vulnerable about your struggles and sins for intimacy incubates around authenticity. Love initiates intimacy!
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them” (1 John 4:16).
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I invite You into my life to learn more about Your love and grace.Application
Who needs my persistent love, so we can really grow to know each other deeply?Related Reading
Proverbs 8:17; Zephaniah 3:17; Romans 8:10; James 5:9; 1 John 4:8-9Post/Tweet today
Be vulnerable about your struggles and sins for intimacy incubates around authenticity. #WisdomHuntersWorship Resource
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Boyd,
I read your devotions everyday and truly believe you love the lord with all your heart.
The New Testament church gives numerous example of conversation.Saul/Paul,Ethiopian Eunice, 3000 on the day of Pentecost, Cornelius,etc.There is no example of saying any prayer in he bible and being saved. Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3 that He had to be born of the water and the spirit. Please teach the whole truth for we will answer and have to give an account for what we teach.
In Christian love,
Terry
Dear Terry,
Happy Easter! I hope your had a wonderful Easter. He is Risen!
Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us with your thought provoking comments. We are so thankful that you are a fellow wisdom hunter! Please know that Boyd will read your comments and appreciate the sincerity and thoughtfulness that went into them.
While I cannot answer for Boyd, I do respectfully disagree with your statement that “there is no example of saying any prayer in the Bible and being saved.”
Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
It goes on to say, “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
My thoughts are that the “confession with your mouth acknowledging that “Jesus is Lord” and that God raised him from the dead is a prayer in itself. But, I do see your point.
Terry, if you would like to continue our discussion, please let me know. (gwynne@wisdomhunters.com)
Thank you again for your response. We are grateful for our Wisdom Hunter’s family and love to hear from them. Looking forward to hearing from you again,
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 91: 1-2