Open for Business

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

All over the Country Stay-at-home orders are lifting. Many are desperate for signs that read, "We Are Open." The areas most desired are hair salons, spas, places to meet our desires for creature comforts more than necessities. For most of us, these are necessities, looking at our roots, or callouses on our feet and forget the grown out fake nails. UGH! When we think about it these areas make us so dependent on others.

We learned so much about ourselves during the shut down of our Country. We learned what causes us mental distress. Those things we hold deeply to, so deeply losing them may have caused depression or worse. There have been lives lost by suicide during these terrible times. I'm sure more than calloused feet drove folks to such desperation. The sad thing, they allowed themselves to be driven there. So much hopelessness revealed itself through quarantine. Lost jobs, unemployment, shut down of business, livelihoods destroyed are not minor struggles. I would never minimize those realities in the lives of hundreds of thousands affected.

As intangible and hackneyed as hope can seem when folks are looking for rescue they can calculate, doesn't mean true hope in Jesus cannot bring about the tangible. During the Covid shut down, Jesus never closed his door. He remained opened for those who searched for help. He continued to be available and ready to rescue. I attempted to reach people with his hope by calling together groups on my personal Facebook, and neighborhood page to memorize Psalm 34. Being available to offer the open door of Jesus was my way to express the hope I knew he promised. It can be experienced, not just etheral.

What is Jesus open for? He is open to give rest to our souls. He is open to bring good from the horrific (beauty for ashes). He is available to open our eyes to the eternal while we live on earth. He is open to bear our burdens. He is open for peace unexplainable, joy unending, and contentment in the middle of storms. He is still open. He never closed. It doesn't mean he never will. There is a day when he will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left, (wheat and tares) and separate them eternally. But as long as he tarries, and you are walking this earth, He is open. He stands as Revelation 3:20 says, "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." He is not looking to force his way into your life. He is not into take-out orders, or delivery, He is open for a sit down meal and an eternal relationship.

Today is the day. He is knocking. He is open. The question is, "Will you open yourself to him?" Rest awaits. Peace awaits. Comfort in life storms. Even bigger, Knowing God and His Only Son are Open to you. He is open... for eternal business.