He Walks In


 

Here I am, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. Revelation 3:2

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this; 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Mark 12:30-31a


I am a long time Neil Diamond fan. Frankly I'm fonder of his peppy, upbeat songs and one is my absolute favorite. That is “Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show.” When I first listened to it, many years ago, I had no concept of revivals or tent services. I just loved the song. Even without any experience in that area, I could picture the scene because the lyrics are just that strong. Listen to it. You can see it, smell it, feel it happening.

Recently I heard it again for the first time in years. The first line that got to me was, “And when you'd almost bet you could hear yourself sweat, he walks in.” Suddenly it wasn't an old favorite song but a glimpse of God. At the eleventh hour, when all is dark and truly there seems to be no hope whatsoever, He walks in. Just like in the song, that pretty much grabs everyone's attention.

Have you experienced those moments? You look around and there just doesn't seem to be any hope. Despair is overwhelming and defeat is imminent. Then He walks in, He speaks, He moves something and every little thing changes. Life is liveable, hope is restored.

Later in the song, in what the printed lyrics refer to as “sermon” it says, “Brothers, you've got two good hands. And when your brother is troubled, you've gotta' reach out your hand for him, 'cause that's what it's there for. And when your heart is troubled you've gotta' reach out to the Man up there, 'cause that's what He's there for.”

Now you tell me, isn't that the gospel of grace in a nutshell? God will show up in your life and change everything. From there, we all need to love each other and help each other out. When we are lost and alone we reach out to God and His love will never fail, “ 'cause that's what He's there for.”

The song is simplistic but it's also very true. It says that “everyone goes.” Everyone. Yes, because God's love is for everyone, old or young, short or tall, male, female, employed and not so much, shirt and tie successful or t-shirt scraping by, everyone is invited to receive God's love.

We make it harder, much harder than it has to be. Your Father is waiting, reach out your hand, 'cause that's what it's there for.

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