Open Door Policy

We all know people who are unavailable and often unapproachable. You know, those people who are seemingly too busy or too distracted to listen to you. For many people, you need to get written onto their calendar, usually in pencil so it can be changed, months in advance just to get a few minutes in the same room, or these days maybe video conferencing, with them.

My first academic advisor in college had office hours from six to seven in the morning, two days a week. And not just that, if I wanted to meet with him, I needed to make an appointment, by coming during those two hours he was in his office to schedule the meeting. There was no emailing or texting in those days. One time I did finally get a few minutes with him, and entire time he was grading papers while I was talking. So, the message he seemed to send – I am not really too interested in meeting with you.

On the other hand, my college head football coach had an open door policy. Anytime Coach was in the office, his door was open, he was available, and no matter how busy he was, if I sat down in front of his desk, I had Coach’s undivided attention.

When someone wishes to talk to me, I try hard to be available and give them my undistracted attentiveness, but I am sure there have been times when I too, like my first academic advisor, appeared as if I was either too busy or not really interested in what they had to say. I do not always get it right.

While it is often hard to get people to listen to you, let alone give you what you might be asking for, we have a God who is always open for business. Early in His ministry, Jesus was on a hillside teaching those who came to be taught, in what is called the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew Chapters 5-7. One of His many teachings that day was really an invitation to approach God with your needs. This went against the norm of that day; kings and rulers were not approachable without first being invited. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.”

If you are a savvy Christian, then you probably are thinking, “Oh no no no, that ask-seek-knock, it comes with a lot of caveats” Yes, while it is true that we do not get everything we ask for and we can abuse or distort that invitation to ask-seek-knock, the thrust of Jesus’ message is that we have a God who is approachable and responsive. And yes, our requests do need to be in alignment with “let your will be done,” but again, the thrust of what Jesus is saying is that we have a God that invites us to commune with Him. Jesus is sitting on the hillside teaching the rule, not the exceptions.  

The three verses that follow the ones I just referenced tell us – “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (vv.9-11).

So, today, take Jesus up on His invitation to ask, seek, and knock. God invites you into His office every time you come! He always has an open door policy. And in the midst of that interaction between you and your Heavenly Father, let Him work out what is and isn’t in His will. Based upon my experience, I have confidence that you and He can sort it out.   

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