The Door with No Handle
Theme: Free Will, Grace, and Welcoming Christ
An artist painted a beautiful and moving picture of Jesus Christ standing in a dark garden. In the painting, Jesus is holding a lantern in one hand and gently knocking on a heavy, wooden door with the other. The painting was displayed in a famous gallery, and crowds gathered to admire it.
One day, an art critic was examining the painting very closely. He turned to the artist and said, "Your painting is absolutely brilliant, but you have made a rather obvious mistake."
"What mistake is that?" the artist asked.
"The door Jesus is knocking on," the critic pointed out. "It has hinges, it has a frame, and it has thick wood. But you forgot to paint a handle on the outside. How is He supposed to open the door and get in?"
The artist smiled gently and shook his head. "That is not a mistake, my friend. That door represents the human heart. It only has a handle on the inside. It can only be opened by the person standing on the other side."
Reflection
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock" (Revelation 3:20). Christ approaches our lives with infinite love, offering us forgiveness, peace, and eternal life. But He is a gentleman; He will never force His way into our lives. He waits patiently for us to use our free will. The handle is on our side. We must choose to turn it and let the Light in.