The dog had no way of knowing, but her owner had been hurt in an accident and wouldn't be coming home. Nobody was there to look after her. She stayed around her house for a few days until hunger and loneliness made her wander away. For a day she walked down country highways, and she hadn't found anyone to befriend her when night arrived. A storm with pelting rain and gusty winds blew up. The dog looked for shelter and a place to sleep.
She passed several homes, and then she saw what she wanted-a car parked in a driveway. You see, this dog had an unusual skill-she could open doors! The dog went to the rear car door, which wasn't locked, stuck her lower jaw into the handle and pushed the latch open. Then she nudged the door open just wide enough to squeeze through and curled up on the backseat to sleep, out of the wind and rain.
Early the next morning, Ben Barger, the man of the house, stepped out to get his newspaper. He noticed that the windows in his car were steamed up. That's funny, he thought and went to take a closer look. Ben saw the rear door slightly ajar and looked in to see the dog sleeping peacefully on the seat. Had he left the door open? he wondered. How else had the dog gotten into the car? Even though she was a large dog, she did not look threatening, so he shooed her out of the car and told her to go on her way. He made sure the car door was tightly closed. Then he went into the house to read the newspaper.
A few minutes later Ben looked out his window to see if the dog had left, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing! The dog had returned to the car and was opening the rear door. In only seconds, she was again curled up in the same spot on the backseat.
Ben thought, Nobody is going to believe this if I tell them, so he set up his video camera in the window. He wanted to tape the dog opening the car door. He went back outside and again shooed the dog out of the back seat and closed the door. After he returned to the house and set the camera running, the dog opened the door again.
This time Ben went out and brought the dog into the house. He talked kindly to her, gave her food and water, and let her have the run of the house.
Wandering down that country highway with no place to go, the dog had been a homeless stray. The Bible says that you and I have wandered away from God: "Like sheep [we] have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way" (Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)). It is only by coming in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ that any of us can be saved from our sinful wanderings. We will find Him to be a kind and loving Savior who has a home in heaven all prepared for sinners who are washed clean from their sins.
Ben soon discovered that car doors were not the only doors the dog could open. He watched as she confidently went to the refrigerator door, grabbed the handle between her teeth and pulled it open. She also opened the sliding shower door, kitchen cabinet doors, and the door to the outside, which she had to open by turning the knob. He found she could remove caps from plastic bottles too.
Ben sent the video clip of the dog opening the car door to the local TV news station where it was shown on the news. Someone recognized the dog, and Ben was able to contact the owner. The owner was no longer able to take care of the dog and asked if Ben would please give her a home. In the few days he had kept the dog in his home, Ben and his family had grown to like her and had named her Trixey. He assured the owner that, yes, they would be happy to keep this dog that could open doors.
Trixey had a new home. Now the Bargers would have to find a different kind of latch for the refrigerator door. They didn't want her helping herself to what was inside.
Trixey was the dog that could open doors, but there isn't a sinner alive who can open the door to salvation and heaven through any efforts of their own. Because you and I have sinned, heaven's door is locked against us. There is only one Person who could open heaven's door to sinners. God has made those arrangements for us.
Over two thousand years ago, He sent His beloved, sinless Son into the world. The Lord Jesus died on Calvary's cross where He shed His precious blood so that the door of salvation could be opened wide. At the cross, God's plan was fulfilled for sin to be forgiven and forever washed away. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)). Now because of what the Lord Jesus accomplished on the cross, you and I are invited to enter heaven's door. "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)). You may enter heaven's door by believing that Jesus died on the cross for you and that He shed His blood to wash away your sins. Won't you accept the love and cleansing He is offering you and be ready for your new home in heaven?