Closed for the Season?

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"Behold I stand at the door and knock." (Revelation 3:20).

Few things are more exasperating to a weary traveler than arriving at a place after hours of travel only to find a sign posted: “Closed for the Season.” There is a stunning finality in the words. The abrupt message is non-negotiable; there is no point in waiting around for someone who will go ahead and let you in, because it’s not going to happen.

There would be no problem if the sign said, “Back in Five Minutes,” or maybe, “Out to Lunch.” Perhaps even “Gone for the Day” would be bearable. But “Closed for the Season” is out of the question! Yet, it happens -- and we have to accept it when it does. Unfortunately, though, we often do the same thing in our personal lives as well.

Let me ask you a question: “Are you closed for the season?” You might ask, “What season!?” Why, the season of God’s visitation! That moment when He arrives at your door with blessings in hand; with healing for your brokenness, relief for your burdens, joy for your sorrow, and light for your darkened eyes.
Even now we are in a season of such a visitation; the Lord even now is saying, saying, "Behold I stand at the door and knock."

So I must ask, “Are you closed for the season?” When God arrives at your door, does He find the sign posted which turns Him away? Or will He find the sign that says, “Open 24hrs - Full Service.”

I urge you to stay open to the Holy Spirit, to the Word of God, to the fellowship of Believers, to the needs of those around you, and to the call of God that beckons you beyond yourself.

There is one other sign I should mention. Its the one that says “Closed -- Gone Out of Business.” One may be sure that if enough “Closed for the Season” signs are strung together, people will get the idea that you don’t want anybody around and they will stop showing up at your door. That would be sad enough, leaving you quite miserable.

But the worse scenario would be that the Lord Himself no longer visited you, seeing He was never accepted the many times He did come.

So, do you know what sign is posted at your door?
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