Memory Verse: “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9
Mrs. Eastman and her two-year-old daughter, Shirley, were returning home from grocery shopping. When they pulled into the driveway, Mrs. Eastman saw that the garbage man had come while they were gone, and their garbage cans were lying at the end of the driveway near the street. She parked the car in the garage. As she unbuckled Shirley from her car seat, she told her that she was going to put the garbage cans away before carrying in their groceries. Shirley told her mommy that she wanted to wait in the car rather than walk with her to the end of the driveway and back.
Mrs. Eastman put the car keys in her purse and left it on the workbench in the garage as she went out to the street to get the cans.
Just as she was picking up the cans she heard the garage door coming down. Shirley had stood on the seat and pushed the button on the remote control device fastened on the sun visor.
Mrs. Eastman dropped the cans and ran back to the garage, but the door was closed before she got there. There she stood, locked out, and Shirley and her purse with the keys in it were locked inside.
“When once the master of the house is risen up, and path shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us... He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not.” Luke 13:25. This Bible verse is telling us about another door that will be closing very soon — the door to heaven.
And like Mrs. Eastman, someone will be locked out and unable to get in, even when they call. I don’t want to be locked out of heaven ... do you?
Mrs. Eastman wondered what she should do next. She checked all the other doors to the house, but they were locked tight, so she couldn’t open the garage door from the inside. She walked back to the garage trying to figure out what to do, when suddenly the door started to open.
She quickly ducked inside before Shirley pressed the button again. “Shirley, you scared me! Please don’t push that button again.” That was probably the last time she ever left Shirley alone in the car.
The door to heaven is open right now for any who want to enter. But only those whose sins are washed away may go in. Have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus when He died on the cross? If so, the door is open for you. However, if you have not yet been washed by Jesus’ blood and if you wait too long, then the door will be closed for you. Even if you call to Jesus to open the door and let you in, He will have to tell you He doesn’t know you. And then He will have to say, “Depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity [sin].” Luke 13:27. Once the door to heaven is closed, it’s closed for good; there will be no way to duck inside.
Jesus loves you very much and He is anxious to wash your sins away. He says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden [with sins], and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Why not come to Him with your sins right now? He will gladly wash all your sins away, and then the door to heaven will be open for you to go inside.
ML-02/02/1986