Slammed Doors
Have you ever experienced Jesus stopping you in your tracks? Halting your next move so blatantly that there is no doubt about his expectations for your life? I recently experienced such an event. A door, so to say, was slammed shut in my face; perhaps deadbolted shut, (would be a more accurate statement) and the only way out of my predicament was to completely surrender to Jesus. To stay that I was shocked, bewildered, and scarred are understatements. I saw my life, everything I worked so hard for—family, marriage, career and lifestyle—dangling from a frayed rope, about to snap. My options were to fully trust Jesus with my life or fall apart and give up. I clung to Jesus. I pleaded for Him to sustain me and my family; to see us through this hellish nightmare. He did. He is — and I am forever changed. My outlook on life is altered; my goals reevaluated; my values redefined.
Looking back, I see that Jesus was with me in the moments leading up to the door slamming shut. I was not alone. In fact, the slamming door kept me from walking into a burning fire. I felt the heat but was kept safe. In Psalm 27: 1-3, David writes, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident.” At different moments during the ordeal, I can see the work of Jesus’ angels fighting his battle for my life. Jesus sustained me and I am here because he loves me, because he gave his life for me. I don’t deserve this gift and yet he gave it. I am so grateful and so humbled.
My dear friends, our physical life is uncertain. Our circumstances can change in the blink of eye. Our only certainty in this life is our belief in Jesus Christ. He died so that we could live spiritually for eternity with him. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). When everything is taken from us, only Jesus can sustain us. He is our Savior, our Redeemer. He saved me. He redeemed me.
I pray that you will allow Jesus to sustain you and redeem you when doors slam shut, keeping you safe from the burning fires before you.