An Open Door – The Heart of a Child

A blizzard, a dog, and a picture that captured my heart. Last week my brother and his family ventured off to sunny Southern California and asked us to look after their dog Daisy. While they were making sand castles at the beach I was trying to navigate through one of the worst Colorado blizzards on record to rescue Daisy.

After making it through 20 plus inches of snow that was literally blowing from every direction I sat down on the couch with Daisy snuggled on my lap and warmed up with a cup of hot coffee wondering if our Ford Escape nicknamed Miles had what it took to make the excursion back. As I slowly perked up from the caffeine I noticed a picture on the wall that caught my attention. It was of a large wooden ancient door in the midst of a stone block fortress. Towards the bottom of the picture was a blonde two- year old boy wearing blue overalls, he had his right hand on the door handle and was just barely pulling it open. The door was cracked open only few inches, and a bright light streamed through as the young child peered his head inside to get a peek of what was beyond the door.

With Daisy in hand I got up to take a closer look at the painting and written on the bottom in cursive were these words, “to such belong the Kingdom of God.” As the storm raged on outside, shaking the windows violently I heard a gentle inner voice whisper, “doors are opened by babies who believe.” Isn’t this what Jesus taught us in Mark 10:15, “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” The Greek word for “little child” is an infant or a baby. The door to the Kingdom is opened by “spiritual babies” little two year olds who by faith grab the handle and pull it open.

As I continued to think about the picture I wondered what the young child saw as he peered into the light? Perhaps the answer is found in Mark 10:16, “And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.” The first person behind the open door who is waiting to bless us is Jesus. When we have that child like trust and grab for the handle the reward is a Resurrected Savior, who unlocked the door to the Kingdom by His death and resurrection! He is waiting to receive us with His everlasting arms of love that will never let us go. Jesus is the greatest gift an open door brings. No matter what door He is leading us to and through He is always on the other side waiting to carry us in His loving arms on another Kingdom adventure.

As we just celebrated the gift of Good Friday and the victory of Resurrection Sunday I praise God for a blizzard, a dog named Daisy, and picture that reminded me “that doors are opened by babies that believe!”