Have you ever felt rejected when you knocked on a door and the person on the other side didn’t answer. They could obviously hear the knock, but it was as if as long as they didn’t open the door or acknowledge your presence, it was easier to minimize your existence—as if you weren’t there.

I think it’s kind of like that for Christ. He stands, without fail, knocking on the door of our hearts but so often we choose not to let Him in—to ignore His very existence.

There’s a scene in the movie, Coming to America that exemplifies this point. In this scene, Semmi (played by Arsenio Hall) knew the prince (played by Eddie Murphy) was knocking but instead of opening the door, he began scrambling and shouting excuses in an effort not to let the prince in—why, because he knew he had been disobedient and had not done what the prince had instructed him to do.

It’s like the lies we tell ourselves and Christ about why we refuse to open the door when He knocks. We convince ourselves, ‘it’s not convenient,’ ‘I’ll get to it later’ and the excuses pile on. It’s easy to do because Christ isn’t visible to the natural eye. So, we who say we are believers go on shutting Him out, keeping the door closed until we need something.

By shutting Him out, not only do we miss out on the blessedness of His indwelling presence and the abundance of blessings that come from having a personal relationship with Him, we also prevent one less light from shining in a world that desperately needs it. Remember, the unsaved cannot see Him with the natural eye either. When we fail to open the door and allow His light to shine through us, we add more darkness to the world.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Revelation 3:20 KJV

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:7-9 KJV

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV