The Door

         "I am the door.  If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:9-10)
          That's it.  That's the bottom line.  Jesus is the door--He is the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6)  He's the door to abundant Life with a capital "L."  Not perfect life, mind you.  Not trouble-free life.  Not "health and wealth" life.  But full, joyful, peaceful, hopeful, infinitely rich, deep, and glorious Life.  And Life that just barely begins, that just barely scratches the surface of the abundant Life He promises for eternity.
         The other night, my husband and I watched in utter amazement as the space station streaked across the dark skies.  Think of it--to be able to look up into that vast, dazzling heaven and see a piece of equipment flying 249 miles above the earth at a stunning 17,227 miles per hour.  And there are people living and breathing inside that flying, floating piece of metal!
         As we stared, we felt this immense sense of wonder--awe at the staggering immensity of God's creation and at it's remarkable beauty.  Goodness gracious!  The stars, the moon, the planets--they're all up there night after night for every one of us to see...yet how often we fail to notice?  How on earth could we miss such a shockingly wondrous display?  How can we glance up with a ho hum attitude at such stunning sights, such immeasurable distances, such profound and silent beauty?
        If we slow down long enough to truly see and consider what we're gazing at in the heavens, then we cannot help but give praise to the almighty, omnipotent, glorious Creator and Sustainer of such wonders. Yes, it's so true, "The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.  Day to day pours our speech and night to night reveals knowledge."(Ps.19:1-2)
        And yet, that ineffable, uncontainable, unimaginably powerful and huge Creator knows us each by name.  Knows every hair on our heads.  Knows when we lie down and when we get up.  Knows when we're delighted and when we're discouraged.  Knows when we're excited and when we're exhausted.
        And He has provided the way of salvation, the way of abundant Life, the way of indefatigable joy for each and every one of us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Gigantic enough to create the vast heavens with a word...yet personal enough to know, love, forgive, and save each one of us individually.  Such is our God and there is none other!
        Don't take it for granted.  Don't take it lightly.  And don't miss it!  Gladly enter by the Door God has graciously given us in His Son.
        Look up at the glorious heavens and remember that the infinite and omnipotent Creator of the farthest galaxy sees, knows, and loves you.  And He is your Door to abundant, eternal life.  
        To God be the glory.