Grandparenting | Family Time | Grandpa's Garden
We recently had a delightful visit with our youngest grandkids. When one of them ventured into the backyard, we reminded him not to leave the gate open. Our dog loves the yard, but dogs have a way of following their noses. A fenced yard is of little value without a latched gate.
As a child, when I forgot to close the door after coming in from outside, I was sometimes asked, “Do you live in a barn?” Years later, I worked briefly in a barn and realized how ironic the question was. Leaving a door or gate unsecured in a barn is unwise – unless you want to chase a startled animal everywhere.
Many years ago, when our children began toddling around the house, we made doors, stairs, and cabinets child-proof. We purchased various latches and gates to protect the kids from the hazards homes can present. Some of the devices were hard for even the parents to open.
In the jobs I’ve held over the years, I was blessed with many supervisors, administrators, and mentors with different temperaments and gifts. I learned something from each of them. Some had an “open door policy.” When you had a work question, you could walk into their office and ask spontaneously, prescheduling not required. It was a nice feature, but it led to many interruptions.
Occasionally, we’ve all encountered a closed office door that’s usually open. Deciding whether to interrupt with a knock or return later takes some wisdom.
With prayer, the door is always open.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
Prayer opens our hearts to seek the Lord, who always welcomes us. However we express our prayer, we pray in His Spirit, and by His grace, we enter into His presence to seek His will. In this way, we realize the freedom to which He calls us.
“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
Our prayer is the grace-formed response to the One who made us. Prayer follows our deepest desire.
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him…” (John 6:44)
In our family prayer, let us ask the Lord Jesus to carry us through all the gates and doors of our lives.