Swing Wide the Gate

“Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” Psalm 24:7

David faced earthly battles much like we do. Scripture calls him a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Perhaps part of the reason is because he continually turned to the Lord in prayer when life unraveled around him. King Saul sought to kill him. His son Absalom attempted to take his throne. His sin with Bathsheba brought painful consequences. Yet through every triumph and failure, David never lost sight of who God was. The Lord remained Creator, Holy One, and Almighty God. God saw David’s heart.

Some days I feel like an ancient door myself. The years have left their marks. Heartaches, disappointments, and worries can make our hinges stiff. On those days I ask Jesus, the lifter of my head, to do exactly that.

When I read this passage, the word “gate” captured my attention. A gate is an entrance. It grants access to something beyond.

Neglected

I picture an old iron gate that was once beautiful and strong. Time has covered it with rust. Beyond it lies a green pasture bathed in sunlight. I push against the gate, but it refuses to move. What must I do before the ancient door opens and the King of Glory comes in?

Revelation is God’s gracious act of making Himself known. The answer is not found in striving harder. I know this from personal experience. Our hearts must remain open to the Lord and receptive to His Word if we have hope of knowing Him better. We choose to receive this gift through surrender of our own will, our own goals and aspirations. When walk in obedience, the rust begins to fall away and we become more attentive to His voice and plan for us.

Oil the Hinges

Serve. During some of the lowest seasons of my life, serving others lifted my head. Giving away what little strength I had left shifted the focus from myself to those around me. Often, we can better recognize His presence through service to others in His name. The hinges begin to loosen.

Observe. What I allow before my eyes matters. In a culture saturated with images, where violence, sensationalism, and temptation are served to us at every turn, we must be careful that the gate does not begin to stick again. Guarding our eyes is an act of spiritual stewardship. When I feast on His Word, admire the beauty of His creation, and fill my thoughts with things that honor Him, I find my heart becoming more sensitive to what He wants to reveal.

Preserve. Listening or spreading gossip can slam a gate shut. Complaining can allow weeds to grow high around the entrance. What reaches our ears often settles into our hearts. We can preserve both inner and outer peace by paying careful attention to the voices we entertain and the words we speak, for both have a way of shaping our thoughts.

Make Way for the King

Do you long, as I do, to keep the gate of our heart well oiled and swinging freely? I certainly do. I have not mastered the Christian life, but there is nothing I want more than fellowship with the King of Glory.

“Who is he, this King of glory?

The LORD Almighty—

he is the King of Glory.” (Psalm 24:10)

Father, keep our hearts open to Your truth and help us recognize the ways You are revealing Yourself through Your Word each day. Remove anything that hinders our fellowship with You, and make us receptive to the voice of the King of Glory. Amen.