Letting Jesus In
In the Revelation of Jesus that John received, this was the message Jesus sent to the believers called to be the church in Laodicia:
“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy, and need nothing,’ and you don’t know that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire so that you may be rich, and white clothes so that you may be dressed and your shameful nakedness not be exposed, and ointment to spread on your eyes so that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne.
(Revelation 3:14-21 Holman Christian Standard Bible®©)
Jesus was not knocking at the door of an unbeliever’s heart, hoping to save her/him. He was knocking at the door of the congregations, or at the home of believers in those congregations in Laodicia, wanting to be welcomed among them. They didn’t know that they were wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. They thought that they were free of needs.
All of us, to some degree, are suffering from blindness to some of our weaknesses and distractions. We are very sensitive to our financial or health needs, but the more important spiritual needs are difficult to discern. We need to have frequent visits from Jesus, during which we ask Him how we are. Even then, we are in danger of resembling James’ description of seeing our faces in the mirror Jesus holds in front of us and turning away unchanged.
A visit from Jesus is sometimes painful, but always beneficial.