This entry was written for journaling prompts, but I adapted it for our women's group and presented it as our lesson.
Working at a retail store, I am required to greet each person when they come into the store. When I hear the doorbell ring no matter what I am doing I am supposed to tell the person entering "hello" or some form of that greeting. If I am stocking merchandise in the back, I am to stop and go to the front and greet my customers. So, I listen for the doorbell. It is more of a bell chiming. Whatever the sound, it is there to alert me of customers entering the store. Now, why would such a small gesture be of a requirement? First, it is to let the customers know we are glad they are visiting our store. But, one more reason... it is to let potential shoplifters know we are aware they are in our store and we will be watching them. That being said, I started thinking of how important doors are and from that well, you guessed it, I developed another prompt. This prompt is about doors, but more importantly, about doors mentioned in the Bible.
The following are types of doors mentioned in the Bible and the verses where they can be found. Write the verse and record what kind of door it is. Do a research of the different types of other doors you can find in the Bible. Record what the door represents. Are these any doors you have come in contact with yourself? Write about the many doors and what they mean.
Door of opportunity IICor 2:12
Door of heaven Ps 78:23
Door of hope Hos 2:15
Door of faith Acts 14:27
Door of my lips Ps 141:3
Door of utterance Col 4:3
Other verses relating to doors are:
God's doorkeeper Ps 84:10 Write why you think God would need a doorkeeper? What if God would ask you to be His doorkeeper? A
There is a door of the gate in Ezek 9:14. Do a word study on gates too.
Let's discuss rooms that have doors:
We are familiar with the prayer closet mentioned in Mt 6:6. Do you have a special place that you use for a prayer closet? Describe it in your journal. Is this a place you frequent daily? or occasionally? Is this a place of reverence to the Lord or a place you go to to murmur, gripe, and complain? Do you enter the closet in haste or for quality time with the Lord? Do you avoid entering the closet? Do you keep the door closed or is there a "open for business" sign on all the time? Is there a door that needs to be oiled because it's hinges have not been opened in some time? Is there a special time you enter the door to your prayer closet? Discuss your time inside of the closet with the Lord.
There are doors to your house. Your front door, back door, garage door, kitchen door, bathroom door, office door, craft room door, playroom door, den door, and bedroom door. Describe in your journal what we will find if we were to enter through those particular doors as a visitor to your home. Now, think of those doorways as an opportunity to pray. Pray for those people that go through those doors. Pray for what the people who use those doors daily. An example: when you go through the bedroom doors pray for the person who sleeps there. Pray for the person to have rest and peace while sleeping. Going through the kitchen door, pray for each person who will be eating there that day. Entering the bathroom pray for each person in your household to remain healthy. When going through your garage door to get into your car, pray for a safe trip for you and your family. Do you have a special place that you sit and journal? When entering through that door, pray that the Lord will provide you with opportunities to write things that will glorify Him.
There are other doors you can use as opportunities to pray. Grocery store doors, convenient store doors, retail doors, hospital and medical clinic doors and restaurant doors. My favorite door is to a library door or a used book store door. Use these doors mentioned and others you can think of as a prompt to write out prayers for those who enter them. List other doors that you may enter. Describe the people who enter them. Describe what you expect to happen when going through those doors.
Let's discuss four types of doors:
The traditional wooden - you cannot see through it. Look at the door and think of what others may expect to see through that door. Example: does the person expect to see a clean house? Does the person expect to find shelter on the other side of that door? Now ponder on this: if the person were standing on the other side of the door and could not see through it, but could hear what was being said on the other side, what would she/he hear? Would there be words that are expressing love? Would the person hear screaming and yelling? Would there be laughter from the children? Would the Lord feel ashamed of what He heard while standing there listening? Write what people would hear on the other side of your wooden door? Now is what you have written something you need to change?
The door with glass inlay designs: These are doors that are beautiful for the eye to behold. From the outside they are a work of art. But when you try to peer through it to see inside the things you see will be distorted. Is this how others see you? A Christian on the outside, but when one tries to befriend you do they see a more distorted you? One of standoffish? One who has no sympathy for others? One who feels they are better than others? Worse off, would that distorted picture be one of hypocrisy? Or would what the person see through that beautiful glass be one that is inviting and the person wants to enter the room?
A screen door: one can see through it but yet it offers some security. The images can still be distorted but you are able to make out them better. And you are able to hear more clearly what is being said. The screen door is used more for allowing the fresh air in and keeping the flies and other creatures out. Is your life like the screen door. One that allows for fresh information to penetrate your thinking? Does it provide security to keep out the unwanted things that may enter if the door were open? Such as, sinful things, sinful thoughts, sinful actions?
The half-door; this door is for people to be able to stand and see in the other room and to be able to openly talk to the people in it? But the bottom part is closed so other things like small children or animals will not enter it. Now look at your life...do you use the half door? Do you let others see into your life only half way? Do you only let the Lord talk to you at the half door and keep Him from entering? Describe what makes your life like the half door. What could cause you to open the bottom half?
Occasionally doors need to be cleaned. The wooden door must be cleaned with a cleaner specially made for wood. The glass door uses glass cleaner. There are doors that need to have a power sprayer taken to it. Whatever the type of door, there are special cleaners made just for that type of door. Does the door to your life need cleaning? Do you daily ask the Lord to clean you of your sins? Does He need to use a more powerful cleaner at times? Does He use only need to use a soft paper towel at other times? Do you feel that He needs to use a power sprayer on things you have not forgiven yourself of yet? Describe how you feel the Lord needs to clean you of your sinful ways. If you have not sinned today, then your door does not need cleaning. But what if someone else has entered through that door and is a sinner? That person needs cleaning and since she/he has entered through your door as a sinner it is your responsibility to pray for that person's salvation. Lead her/him to the Lord.
There are verses that discuss doors where the Lord is present. Stand at the door Rev 3:20. Jms 5:9
Open doors: Rev 3:8, Rev 4:1, Col 4:3, Mk 2:2 and 2 Cor 2:12 Everlasting door Ps 24:7 A great and effective door I Cor 16:9
How do we know there is someone at the door? Door bells, door chimes, and door knockers are helpful. Occasionally you will hear someone yell "hello is anyone there?" Write of times you know the Lord was knocking and you did not open that door. Write of times that someone was at your door but you did not answer it. Write of times when you went to a friend's house and knocked and they weren't there. Write about that same friend who's car was in the driveway but did not answer. How did that make you feel? How do you think the Lord feels when you ignore His knocking?
There are many people who come to our doors but never enter them. Some would be your mail carrier, the delivery person, church people, strangers, politicians, utility workers. Pray for these people. Write a thank you note to your mail carrier and leave in the mail box. Use those people as a part of your prayer list.
There are people who should never enter your doors. Thieves, scam artists, drug addicts, etc. Pray that your home will be protected and that no harm will come to those who enter and leave from those doors. Pray for those who should not enter in your home. Read Jn 10:12. Do you know anyone like this?
Read Mk 16:3 Is there a stone in the door of your life that needs rolled away in order for Jesus to enter in? Write of this rock and what needs to be done for the rock to be rolled away.
Write out the 10th chapter of John and how Jesus is the Door and how the door is the Shepherd. Is this true of your life?
Doors have to be physically opened and closed, but there are time that the wind can swing a door open or close it. Is the door to your life easily opened or does it take a strong force to open it? Does sin enter through that door as invisible as the wind? Describe how one needs to enter your life's door.
In Jms 5:9 it discusses the judge's door. Are you the judge or should you be judged? There are many who live behind prison doors (Act 5:19) Are you living in bondage to something? Are you looking through a prison door of sin? Have you found yourself guilty of something for which you cannot forgive yourself? Allow the Lord to use a battering ram and knock that door down and allow you freedom to pass through it.
There are things people put on their doors, such as decorative wreaths, golden door knockers, etc. When one goes to your door of your heart is there a "keep away" sign there? Or is there a "welcome" sign there?
How often do you go to a stranger's or a neighbor's door and knock to visit or ask if there is something you could do for them? My husband knocks at stranger's doors and ask if he could haul off their junk for free. How often do you share with others that the Lord is knocking at their heart and offers salvation for free?
There are doors you should avoid. Doors to bar establishments. Doors to pornography stores. Doors when someone wants privacy. Do you find yourself turning the handles of doors you should not enter? Are there things you are doing behind closed doors in private you should not be doing? Write these things down for only your eyes and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Tear it up and praise the Lord for helping you gain victory over these sins.
This has been a long prompt about a simple inanimate object called a door. One more question: Are you a friendly door greeter or are you the mean guard dog who growls at whoever comes to the door?
May you never close the door to your heart for others who need Jesus in their life.
Visit these sites for devotionals relating to doors...
http://devotionalchristian.com/praising-god-for-closed-doors/
http://www.christian-resources-today.com/short-devotions-11.html
http://www.blessingsdirect.com/archive/devotional_08_13_07.html
find other blogs that you could share with us that have articles about door devotionals.
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