I was at Home Depot recently. I bought some two-by-fours, mulch and a few other things. I loaded up the SUV, but the liftgate would not close. It would slowly go down but start back up once it hit bottom. I figured it was the two-by-fours, so I pushed them in, which was a bit challenging with the mulch on top. I pressed the liftgate button, but, again, the liftgate did not close. I moved the driver’s seat up a bit and pushed the two-by-fours, but same result. I moved around the mulch bags, same result. Anyhow, I realized that what was preventing the liftgate from closing was my granddaughter’s stroller that is usually there by itself, but that I had to move in order to get the other stuff in. I moved the stroller a bit and, wham!, the liftgate closed.

This little experience made me think of times in our lives when we want to “shut the door” and it does not close. We want to shut the door on a bad memory, a bad habit, an unwanted attitude, or a bad relationship. We shift things around in our minds, our lives, in order to accomplish that, but the door does not close. We try moving other things around, but the door still does not close. If we keep working at it, eventually we move the right pieces, in our minds or in our lives, and get the door to close. Wham! Done! We have closed the door on that bad memory, bad habit, unwanted attitude, or bad relationship. Just one thing…if that thing, whatever it is, comes knocking, do not open the door!

As Christians, we pray for God to help us close certain doors, doors representing pain, loss, grief. We also pray that God opens doors for us. Revelations 3:7-8 speaks on this very subject. It is so powerful! Meditate on it.

These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you 
an open door that no one can shut. 
Revelations 3:7-8