“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Father, You are our Hope of eternal life. By sending Your Son, and our Savior Jesus Christ to die in our place, You showed us Your heart of love. How grateful we are for such a love! Please keep us close to Your side, and please feel welcome to enter our lives and abide with us. By faith we throw the doors of our hearts wide open and ask You to enter. We pray this in the loving name of Jesus Christ our Savior and soon coming King. Amen.
Today we continue our journey through the hymns and we come to a very beautiful, and short hymn of Invitation, The Savior is Waiting. It has only two short stanzas. The music is lovely and the message in song is an invitation to let Jesus into our lives. Let us talk about the importance of this. But first, the words of the hymn:
“The Savior is waiting to enter your heart, Why don’t you let Him come in? There’s nothing in this world to keep you apart, What is your answer to Him?
Refrain:
‘Time after time He has waited before, and now He is waiting again to see if you’re willing to open the door; O how He wants to come in.’
‘If you’ll take one step toward the Savior, my friend, You’ll find His arms open wide; Receive Him, and all of your darkness will end, Within your heart He’ll abide” [Chorus].
(Ralph Carmichael).
In the book of Revelation we find a scenario that goes very well with the sentiments of this precious hymn. The Savior, the Creator, is standing outside of your life asking your permission to enter. Because of the fact that He created you and then, in love, redeemed you, He has the right to enter your life at will!
But not so with Jesus the Savior – if He will have entrance to your life and mine it will be by our invitation. That is the way love works, it does not coerce, it woos. It loves, with the hope that the recipient of that love, will respond in love. John the disciple, is a case in question. Listen to what he says in 1 John 4:19,
“We love Him because He first loved us.”
What is so interesting about this love approach, is the fact that the one to whom the love is being offered has everything to gain! Jesus wants our love but He does not need it. It is our privilege, yours and mine, to be loved by God! And not only a privilege, but a honor! We need that love, and did nothing to earn it. And yet it is Jesus who stands without, and waits for us to give Him entrance! Amazing Love, how can it be? That He should love a wretch like me!
And how simple it is. It just takes “one step toward the Savior.” He is waiting for anyone and everyone, who is “searching for a God who loves them, and who they can love in return.” Like the Father of the Prodigal Son, The Savior’s arms are wide open to embrace you and welcome you into the family of heaven! The songwriter’s advice is, “Receive Him and all of Your darknes will end.” Because Jesus is the Light of the world! Add to all of this His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you!” You have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by receiving Jesus into your life today!
A special friend of mine from Nigeria shared a rather interesting maxim with me. I love it! “If you find something better than Jesus – don’t offer it to me, I don’t want it!” How wise a saying! For there is nothing, or no one, better than Jesus!
Note: I made some minor corrections to this devotional today.