LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
The Pain of the Excluded Christ
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3:20).
The church in Laodicea had everything material, it lacked nothing. However, his misfortune was to have Christ outside! We have used this passage many times to evangelize those who do not know the Lord: "Open the door of your heart, and the Lord will enter". Okay, but here Jesus is speaking to a church.
The Lord is out and calling! They have comfortable premises, carpeted floors, have valuable instruments and beautiful songs. They are not absolutely cold; they may have correct doctrines, but Christ is outside! That's the startling revelation: He's excluded! They have everything… except Christ.
The Word of God left his throne of glory and came into this world out of love for us. Being rich, he became poor, to enrich us. Praise the Lord!. He became a man, he humbled himself... and his people rejected him! They scourged him, mocked him, and crucified him.
Christ was excluded from the world created by Him and for Him, and furthermore, rejected by his people Israel from him. But, now, not only by them, but ignored also by the church in Laodicea, outside the door and knocking. He waits for someone to hear his voice and let him in.
"…I will go in to him, and sup with him, and he with me". "I will sit at the table of his love and satisfy my heart", says the Lord, for his delight is with the sons of men (Prov. 8:23). He who loves us and loved us to the end, he wants to reign in our hearts. "He who opens the door for me, he will sit at the table that my love will provide, and it will satisfy his heart".
In this vision we have apostasy confronted with fidelity, falsehood contrasted with truth, poverty adorned face to face with infinite wealth, lukewarmness and hypocrisy confronted with compassion and devotion.
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock". What does the crowned Lord want, knocking on the door? A man. Only a man or a woman who opens the door to be able to enter and have dinner with him.