“See I have placed before you an open doorway that no-one can shut.”
Revelation 3:8
Doors Opening As we leave January and enter into February 2016 it is as if we have entered through the ‘doorway’ (latin ianua ) of the new year and into the month of ‘purification’ (latin februum). We don’t practise such rituals or feats of purification as the Romans did, yet for many it is a time of new initiatives, of clearing out and getting set for the year ahead. For us as a fellowship, 2015 was a period of further waiting and perhaps a growing frustration as the search for a new pastoral elder continued into a 7th year and yet as we start the new year not only have we been blessed by the arrival of Calix as the long awaited pastoral elder but also by his lovely family, Bea, Klaudio, Thea and Ramon. Our God continually brings us more than we could ever ask and imagine and we are thankful for his provision and extend our warmest welcome to them all. We are looking forward to celebrating the induction of Calix at a special service on 6th February, at which time Calix will make a commitment to serve the fellowship on behalf of the Lord and the fellowship will in turn make it our commitment to support him. Yet how should we be looking to supporting Calix in his service thereafter? Will it be a time; – to reflect and be willing to respond to how and where the Lord leads us as a fellowship? – for greater study and spiritual meditation on God’s word? – for greater commitment to prayer? – for increased upholding of one another as committed members of the body of Christ? – for increased opportunity to spread the good news of the gospel to our neighbours? Hopefully, it will be all of those things and more as we are reminded in the letter to the church in Philadelphia ‘See I have placed before you an open doorway that no-one can shut. (Rev 3:8) Jesus showed to his disciples and to many of the people he met during his short ministry, if we put our trust in him, then we need not be limited by lack of resources, we simply are called to speak in his name and through the power of the Holy Spirit we will see doorways opened. The Lord has already begun a new work at Rehoboth by bringing Calix and the family to us (see our theme verse for 2016) and we stand at the threshold of an open doorway that invites us as a fellowship to enter into a new relationship with the Lord Jesus. Are you standing at that doorway? Elsewhere in speaking to the church in Laodicea Jesus says ‘Here I am! I stand at the doorway and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20) Sadly, for some, the only door they see is a closed door, they cannot see Jesus. Yet, in his mercy and by his grace he waits patiently and knocks on the closed doors of our hearts and invites us to open them up and let him in. Is that you, or do you know of someone whose heart is closed to Jesus? The reward for opening our hearts to Him is clear to see, fine dining with a closest friend is mentioned here but even greater rewards summed up as eternal life with the right to sit with Him on his throne await those who will hear his knock and open the door. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
Stuart Beadle
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