Here is God’s “open door policy”

“… they will break through the gate (door) and go out…”
Micah 2:13b

08 / 04 / 06

(NIV version)

HERE’S A THOUGHT:

We have all heard the phrase ”Life is a rat race.”

Now picture a mouse running through a maze. As long as there is not a wall, the mouse will continue to run through the maze of open doors (If he hits a wall he follows the wall until there is another opening). He smells the prize at the end (a big chunk of cheese). The point? The only way to get to the prize is through the “Open doors” of the maze. Isn’t it odd that many people live their lives in this same manner regarding God’s will in their lives … they run as a mouse in a maze.

Okay, okay, many don’t call it a “rat race,” but consider it more of an “open door policy”. If God wants it, He will allow it. If God wants that (put your desire here) for my life, He will “open that door. If not, He will close it.” There are so many who are so deep into the maze, though, that they do not know the way BACK to start over … so they continue to race without questioning if their walking through the “open door” or stopped at the “closed door” was actually God’s will in their lives.

Disclaimer: This devotion is not saying that God does not create the path that we are to go through. This devotion is not saying that we are not to pray about a situation and ask Him to prepare the way. This devotion is to show that a life of “open doors” is not the litmus test for how we are to live … simply going through the easy, open doors of life. This way of life is actually not Biblical. We must ask, “Is this of God, or will this hinder my walk with Him and hitting the mark.” We may also ask, “Do I simply want this to satisfy my flesh, or is it what God would have me do.” Do NOT live your life feeling as if “Life is good, therefore, God is pleased with me.” Sadly, this is the way many people view their relationship with God.

Okay, now that I have said that … what is your “cheese” on the other side? What is the prize for which you are running? How do you know that God is pleased with your decisions in life? MANY assume that having a life of pleasures is the proof that God even okay with them. (If that was the case, Yeshua (Jesus), his disciples and even Paul must have thought that God was quite disappointed with them … simply look at their lives!) Many people live today as if wealth, honor, and pleasures are at the other end of the maze, (their “cheese” being sought after). So they continue to go through the “open doors” of life; never looking for or creating another door OR never refusing to walk through an open door. (As long as the door pleases their desire). As children of God, we must know God’s will and laws for us here on earth and put a “heat sensing lazer” on the target and pursue it with all that we are.

VERSES REGARDING THE THOUGHT:

Imagine someone coming up to you and offering you all the money in the world. Although YOU knew that accepting such a thing would hinder your walk with God … would you consider that an open door? (Of course many would rationalize that they would use “a good portion” of it to help God and His cause!) Would you accept it knowing that it will hinder you and your Creator?

“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26) (He was focused on the target and refused the riches.)

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “If you will bow down and worship me.” Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship YHVH your God, and serve Him only.” (Matthew 4:8-10) (Even our Master, of whom we are to follow, rejected the same. When faced with an “open door”, we must first check it against God’s Word to see if there is any contradiction. It is never God’s will for us to do something against His written Word. Our Savior KNEW His Father’s will and He even quoted from the book of Moses to rebuke Satan and keep on target.)

How about if the door is obviously closed or difficult to pass through … would that be a “sign from God” not to enter?

“Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Yeshua (Jesus). When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Yeshua (Jesus). When Yeshua (Jesus) saw their faith, He said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:18-20) (Many would have walked away and left the paralytic to fend for himself, never allowing him to know the Messiah; Never allowing him to be healed. This “door” was obviously closed, but these men KNEW God’s will. Would you have done the same?)

Deuteronomy 1:19-32 is about the twelve spies who were sent out to report about the land that God had promised them. Two of the spies (knowing that God had promised them the land) brought back some of the fruit and reported saying, “It is a good land that YHVH our God is giving us.” (v25b). Now, if you know the story, through merely human eyes, this definitely seemed to be a closed door! The people who were occupying the land they were about to take were giants and well-barricaded in and protected. The other ten spies (opposite of the two) saw this as a “closed door” and thought since God was not handing it to them on a silver platter, it must not be from God. This would be the report from most of those who live by the “open door policy”: “The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky… ” (vs 28b).

You see, many people will choose the door that simply pleases their flesh and then think that it is an “open door” from God. Why? Well, of course, “God is all loving”, they rationalize, “God overlooks our sins and wants us to enjoy life”. Read the following example of one who thought the same thing … This “open door” or “what is being offered before me” must be from God.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

My friends, we must decide in our hearts, today, who we are going to follow … our flesh (and its desires), or the Lord (by obeying His voice and Laws). Let me ask you, what is keeping you from obeying God’s Word and His appointments? For many, it is the “closed door” of the pressures of society, “Nobody else is obeying the ‘seventh day Sabbath’ or ‘other laws’ … so why should I”?

Do you realize that God may actually be testing us with these doors? “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. YHVH your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

The door, above, was open, there was even a miracle that proved it! Do we know the truth of God’s Word well-enough to avoid the wrong door and not walk through it? (Many seem to be counting on the opinion of learned men for their knowledge of God’s Word.) We were created to serve and love God above all.

Just something to think about as we walk through this maze of life.