Bailout or no bailout, these are tough economic times. We’ll likely be seeing a lot more signs like these. Too bad, because when doors close it’s the people who pay the steepest price.
There was once a king who decided to close the doors. King Ahaz decided he’d had enough of God, so “he closed the doors of the house of the Lord.” 1 By this symbolic act he shut more than temple doors — he closed his heart to God’s presence and purpose. And sure enough, the people around him got stuck with the high price of his rebellion. “For the LORD humbled Judah because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had promoted wickedness in Judah and had been most unfaithful to the LORD.” 2
All this makes me wonder whether we’re closing temple doors these days — closing the doors of our heart to the presence and purpose of God. Extreme busyness can close the door on God. Too-frequent exhaustion effectively shuts Him out. Just living life can so distract us (or worse, enamor us!) to the point that God may as well be on the other side of closed doors. It’s costly for us, of course, but it exacts a tremendous cost on the people around us.
Lord God, at all costs keep me from willfully or passively closing the door of my heart against You. The price is too high — both for myself and for those I love.
2 2 Chronicles 28:19