Doors

Doors

I was pondering doors in the Bible. Doors are mentioned over 180 times in Bible – throw in gates, entryways, etc, that number just goes up.

Doors can be literal – Door to the Ark, Passover Door, Lot’s house door in Sodom, Temple Doors and so on. They can be symbolic – Door to Heart, Door to Worship, Heaven’s Door (maybe literal?) and so forth. The Bible talks of open doors, closed doors – so they can be doors of opportunity or doors of termination. So doors redirect, contains protects, isolates, and introduce new places, people, and opportunities. 

Doors are often an entrance to great spiritual significance. 

So today, let’s look at the Pauline Letters. Paul mentions doos three times: 1 Corinthians 16.7-9, 2 Corinthians 2.12-13, and Colossians 4.2-5 (yes, chapter 4 – not chapter 2 … sorry, inside joke.)

A// For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide DOOR for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. …
B// When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a DOOR was opened for me in the Lord,  my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. …
C//Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a DOOR for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Notice … Doors are placed. They are by and from God. And remember, an open door doesn’t mean easy. Expect opposition and loneliness and hardship. But here, when Paul is discussion the doors, he is discussing the opportunity to spread the gospel.

Notice …. In praying for the open doors, pray persistently – pray watchfully – pray thankfully – pray specifically. And the specific prayers are to be for leaders, for opportunities, and for clarity.

Do you have a door in front of you. A door of opportunity. It may be at work, in your home, in your community, or your church family. What will you do? Will you share the good news with great clarity? Will you walk through the door when it opens?

Doors are often an entrance to great spiritual significance.