Opening The Door

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one[a] on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi,[b] it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son;[c] listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. Mark 9:2-8

Not everyone was given the opportunity to preview the glory of Jesus. It was Peter, James and John. They were of a faith mature enough to see the Lord for who He is, and it would not have ruined them. Jesus has a plan for revealing himself to people and it is in accordance with their faith. Though we may go through a season of seeking and wandering eventually we need to make room for the Lord to enter. Jesus enters our life when we invite Him in.

I’ve often asked the question, “why doesn’t the Lord just show Himself in all His glory so that there is indisputable proof of his deity and kingship?” Then we who follow Him can have that fulfilling, “I told you so” moment with our unbelieving family and friends. But here is a reason that this is not the way. If something like this were to be witnessed by a person who is not ready to receive Him, they would not be following Him for the right reasons. They would follow Him out of fear, wonder, and anxiousness instead of a desire to accept an intimate relationship with Him. They would have had a similar reaction of terror as Peter, James and John, except that it would push them away from God versus pull them closer.

The same journey that we all took before we invited the Lord into our lives is what all new followers need to go through. There needs to be a recognition of a need within their lives that only God can satisfy. Without a hunger and desire there will be no reason for an invitation to be given. We need to make space for Him in the room of our lives so that He can enter. How can we help others invite Jesus in?

1. Identify the need within a person’s life and help them to recognize it. Spirituality is not a separate quadrant of who we are. Our physical, emotional, intellectual and physical parts are all connected and intertwined. A person’s need may be physical but their yearning may be an open door to spiritual fulfillment. A person may be at an emotional low point, but this is an invitation to spiritual peace. There needs to be an open space for Jesus to enter.

2. Declutter. The biggest threat to the spiritual health of our world is that people are preoccupied. The goal of the Sabbath is to spend time with Jesus, who is the Lord of the Sabbath. Any time we dedicate to Him, is a Sabbath rest. But when we are too busy for Him, without knowing it we are closing the door to his entrance.

3. Support a person when Jesus arrives. It is an awesome occasion when the Lord enters into a person's life. It is a homecoming and birthday party all in one. Yet, after the festivities are over and the party dies down, we still need to stick around and help them clean and put things in order. This may take a while, but if we are supportive of our friend through this process, Jesus will have a permanent residence within their heart.

Father,

Thank you for counting me as blessed through my faith in you. I pray for your wisdom in leading others to you. May you make space within the lives of those I meet so that they can invite you in. I'll be there to help.