Frantic Knocking At My Door

Have you ever had a life-altering experience that really shook you up and caused you to see your life in a new light? Are you a risk taker and enjoy seeing where an adventure will take you? I personally lack bravery and courage and am not a risk taker…

I could hear someone banging on our hotel door. It was the middle of the night. I jumped out of bed and ran to the door. Through the peephole, I saw a man standing there. He pounded on the door again and was yelling something in French.

We had travelled ten hours from Ontario to Quebec, to attend Coreen’s wedding, who was my husband Vance’s cousin. We didn’t get away often since we had five children but we were able to swing a babysitter for that weekend.

I turned around and looked at my husband who was sound asleep in our bed. Then I peeked through the peephole again. I wasn’t sure if I should open the door. This time I could see people running frantically behind him. As I opened the door, he started yelling in French. I had taken French in public school but didn’t understand it back then, now I wished I had paid better attention.

We began to play charades with him yelling and me guessing.

“Fire?” I asked

He shook his head frantically.

“Bomb?” I asked, thinking that was a dumb question.

He shook his head yes.

I slammed the door and started yelling at Vance.

Back then Vance was a heavy sleeper if you woke him quickly, he was a bit disoriented. I was yelling at him to get out of bed because there was a bomb in the hotel!

“Call the front desk.” was his sleepy response.

I was panicking and grabbing my clothes, to get dressed, and also found my purse.

“Vance get out of bed now! We are going to die if you don’t leave this room immediately!”

“Call the front desk.”

“The people at the front desk are not going to stand around answering the phone when there is a bomb in the hotel!” I was beginning to get very angry with my husband. “I am leaving this room right now, you can stay and be bombed up.”

Finally, that seemed to wake him up. He sat up on the side of the bed and looked around for a bit. “I need my hat and wallet.”

“Who cares about your hat and wallet, get your clothes on and let’s get out of here…now!”

About two minutes later he had fully awakened, and we were running down the stairwell. Vance joked that I knocked over the elderly on my way out of the hotel. I had one goal, to stay alive so I could finish raising my children.

A hotel employee waved at us to follow him to another area of the hotel that was safe to wait in. I figured that was the dumbest thing I had ever heard and run out the front doors and as far away as I could possibly get from the hotel. Vance followed me since he knew I wasn’t listening to him until I knew he was back to his usual self.

We waited for a couple of hours on this warm summer night with other relatives and guests, far across the parking lot. Eventually, the bomb squad came and sent their robot up to put the explosive in a special box and blow it up. The bomb was outside the hotel doors.

I was sitting on a brick wall when a big KABOOM blasted through the summer air. Which caused me to go flying off the wall. Not because of the force of the bomb, but due to being terrified from the frightening sound.

We were told it was safe to go back to our rooms and everyone went back to bed to catch a few hours of shut-eye. I actually slept quite well. The next day we attended a beautiful wedding and wedding feast. But I never forgot that memorable weekend. It really caused me to think about life after we leave this earth.

What do you think you would have done if you had been in my position? If someone was knocking on your door warning you of a bomb, would you have answered the door? Stayed in your bed? Laughed at the man?

What if someone has been knocking on your door for a while, wanting to offer you safety, a way out of danger?

The Bible speaks of life after death. God’s word speaks plainly and openly of salvation for those who believe in Jesus Christ. But it also talks of many who will not find the truth.

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. –John 3:18 NIV

God desired that all mankind would accept his one and only son, Jesus, and what he did on the cross for all people. He has sent many believers for thousands of years to share his good news:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. –John 3:16 NIV

God has been warning people, pleading with them like the man at my hotel door was doing with me. Maybe you have heard the gospel many times, but have ignored it over and over, thinking you have more time to sleep, to have fun, to live life your way.

You haven’t got time for Jesus.

Your time may be up by the end of today. You may not have tomorrow or this coming year to decide if you are ready to give your life and heart over to Jesus Christ.

He is knocking on your door now.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.– Revelation 3:20 NIV

Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with you. He desires to walk this next year alongside you and have a beautiful relationship that guides you to peace and promise.

Becoming a follower of Christ is never easy.

Ever.

But neither was this:

Our eyes should not be on this earth and the comfortable life we can have here. When someone comes to Christ, they go on one of the wildest, craziest adventures known to man. There is not a roller coaster on the earth that can compare.

Jesus Christ promises to walk with you through this adventure. He has personally carried me too many times to count. I have lived a life most people never have to experience. My faith has been tested beyond belief. It has almost broken me.

“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

-Isaiah 43: 1b-3a. NLT

Many will never stand in heaven for the simple reason that sin cannot enter heaven. It is a place of no sin. That is why Jesus Christ died for us, to cover our sin. To pay our entrance into heaven if we chose him. Are you willing to accept Jesus Christ as your one and only Saviour and ask him to forgive you for all your sin?

He wants to take you on the most amazing adventure of a lifetime.

He’s knocking on your door. It’s your choice to open it.

It won’t be easy…but it will be worth the risk💗

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. – Ephesians 2:8-10 NLT