Food for Friday

I am the door, by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. John 10:9

Very few Sunday School students have not memorized this verse. During any Gospel series, at least one message will be preached from this text, and it appears framed on many walls. It is a lovely verse with a powerful Gospel message as it portrays the Lord Jesus as the only way to salvation. Many Christians will tell you that this text played a great role in bringing them to repentance and faith. Precious as this verse is as a Gospel text, you and I can look at it today from the perspective of our daily salvation, and appreciate it every day.

We are saved once at conversion’s day from the penalty of sin; we will be saved in the Glory from the very presence of sin. But each day we sojourn in this enemy’s land, we need to be saved from the power of sin. The devil flings his fiery darts at us, the world spreads its temptations and pleasures before us, and the flesh lusts after the beggarly elements of this world. From these things, we need to be saved every day. From these things, we need shelter and protection, guidance and direction. In our own strength, we are no match for these things. We know that, and so does our Lord. That is why He reminds us in today’s text that He is the door through which we can enter into a victorious and worthwhile life for Him.

Our text speaks of going out and coming in, and we do both as Christians. We go out into a world that has no respect or interest in the things of God, but a world that desperately needs the Gospel. Only the Lord Jesus can strengthen and guide us to be the witnesses we need to be. Only He can preserve us from the snares of the world while displaying the love of Christ.

Our text’s reminder of going in speaks of entering into our Lord’s presence. This can refer to our gatherings of the Lord’s people for worship, ministry, prayer, Bible study, and the preaching of the Gospel. It also refers to our personal times of devotion, prayer and meditation. We go in, and He builds us up in our most holy faith, saving us from our foolish ideas as He feeds us on His Word. With Him, we find the pasture rich and satisfying.

Are we making use of the Door today to go in and out for the Lord Jesus? As our Saviour, He preserves and enables us to do so. – Jim MacIntosh

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