God’s Open Door Policy

by | May 29, 2000 | Fear, Suffering, Surrender

Serving in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California, I tried to stay out of trouble, but all too often, I found my efforts unsuccessful. In March of 1987, I found myself knocking on the office door of the base commander after receiving an invitation. All right, it wasn’t exactly an invitation, but if my memory serves me correctly, the MP’s did say the commander requested my presence.

To say he was angry would be an understatement. I stood at attention in front of his desk with perspiration running down my clean-shaven face. He stood in front of me with his nose just millimeters away from mine while screaming at the tops of his lungs.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stay out of brawls?” He shouted as veins popped out in his neck.

“I’m not sure how–“

“Shut up! I’m making a statement, not asking a question!” He screamed.

Did I mention he was angry? He threw items across the room as he cursed and broke things on his desk while I stood unflinchingly.

“The next time I see you in this office, I promise you will never see daylight again! Do you understand?”

“Yes Sir!” I said as militarily as possible.

“Then get out, and don’t come back!”

A few months later, I irritated an old back injury. My gunnery sergeant told me to visit the commander for advice.

“I’m not going there.” I said shaking my head.

“Collins, the commander has an open-door policy, and will be able to advise you on rehabilitation.” The sergeant insisted.

“I don’t care,” I replied, “I’m not going to the commander’s office.”

“Suit yourself, idiot,” he said with affection.

I suffered great pain because of my fear of meeting the commanding officer. I feared returning to the office he specifically warned me to never step inside again would cause more pain than I currently experienced in my back. I was certain his open-door policy excluded me.

For thousands of years man has struggled with the same problem with God. Fear kept them away from his presence until He set up an open-door policy. Over two thousand years ago, God created a means for a closer relationship with us. He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to pay for our sins.

In Matthew 10:10, we see Jesus speaking of Himself as the door to salvation: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Jesus is the door to salvation, but He points out another door in Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

I remember the beautiful painting of Jesus knocking on what looks to be the big oak door of a garden cottage. Holman Hunt was the artist, and when ready to unveil the painting, he called his friends and family together to be the first to see it. Everyone was quiet at first, drinking in its beauty. Then the spectators began to comment on what impressed them about it.

One friend hesitantly said, “Uh, Holman, it’s a beautiful painting. But well, didn’t you forget something?”

“What did I forget?”

“The handle. There’s no handle on the door.”

“Oh! No, I didn’t forget the handle,” the artist replied. “When Jesus knocks on the door of your heart, the handle’s on the inside.”

There is no reason for you to continue suffering through the pain and fear you struggle with every day. But remember, although God has an open-door policy, the handle is on your side of the door.

Mike Collins www.mikecollins.biz

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God’s Open Door Policy

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