THE widow was sad. A heavy sorrow had come unexpectedly upon her. Her only boy, Willie, fifteen years old, who was always a comfort to her and industrious and good, had disappeared. He had taken some of his things in a suit-case and had evidently run away.
Where had he gone? How could she find him? These thoughts ran through her dazed brain all day long. Someone suggested going to the police, but she had no hope there. Her trust had been for many years in her God, the God of the widow and the fatherless. She would count on Him and on the prayers of those who knew Him.
The days passed. Every time the widow went out she left the door open, so that her boy might walk straight in. God, she well knew, could easily bring him back. He who stayed the waters of the Red Sea, and prepared a fish to swallow Jonah, could bring her dear boy home again.
One evening, when she was at a Bible reading, Willie walked in. He found the door open and the lamp lit all ready for him. What a good, true mother he had! He understood the open door quite well. He did not say, "I suppose mother is expecting a friend and left the door open," nor did he say, "She must have forgotten to shut it." No; he knew that the door was never left open: it was open now for him, and for him only. The open door meant to him an open heart, the heart of his mother, willing and ready to receive him home again.
When the Lord Jesus was here on earth He said, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John 10:99I 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).) So there is still an open door for boys and girls who have run away from God and want to get home to Him, for the Lord Jesus is Himself the door open and ready to receive them. There will be joy in heaven when you step in, joy over everyone who enters through that holy door.
When the widow came home she found her boy, and you can guess the joy of that meeting, for two hearts were united again with deepened love and longing for one another.
Willie had run away to a neighboring port on the morning of his departure and had tried day after day to get some sea-captain to take him on his ship to work his passage to another country, but in vain. One morning very early, before it was light, as he was wandering round the dock, a rough man knocked him down, took his money from his pockets and went off with his suit-case. Willie came to himself to find he had no money, no clothes and no food, so he decided to go home.
After a long day's walk, very exhausted and starvingly hungry, he found himself again in his happy home, ashamed and sorry for having caused so much alarm. The joy of his return was soon passed round. "Have you heard the news? Willie is safely home!”
Friends and neighbors came in to shake hands and offer their welcome tears of joy were shed and hearts were glad and full of thanksgiving to God that their prayers had been answered and that Willie was home.
It will be well worth telling you this true story if you find the open door, and come in and see the joy and the welcome that awaits you. The prodigal son (Luke 15) knew the joy of an open door and a welcome, but before he tasted the good things of his father's house again, he said: "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight." Was he forgiven? He was indeed, and shown the greatest favor, and God is ready to do the same for you.
There will be a closed door. It is so solemn that it is painful to speak about it. You can have which you choose, but you must either go in at the open door of God's grace or find the door closed to you, the door of judgment.
There will be those who will say: Lord, Lord, open to us, "and the answer will be:" Verily I say unto you, I know you not." And the door will be shut forever.
So let us beg you who read this, to enter while the door is still open.
“Yet there is room!" Still open stands the gate,
The gate of love—it is not yet too late!
Room, room, still room, Oh, enter, enter now!