Closed To Be Open

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. During my devotional time I was reading over Joel chapter 2:

A fire devours before them,
And behind them a flame burns;
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them,
And behind them a desolate wilderness;
Surely nothing shall escape them.

(Joel 2:3)

As I was highlighting the above verse, I wondered,

What does this verse mean? How does it apply–

Then piano music, like pounding raindrops, knocked my thoughts away from my morning devotions.

The piano music then suddenly sounded like it was rewinding…..

Followed by the roar of a car engine from outside my bedroom window.

Then, the voice of a female singer wafted through my bedroom window like stuffy perfume.

Oh, I miss you!
Please come back!
Come back! Come back!

It was my neighbor blasting out music from her car.

Oh my goodness, I thought as I slid off my bed where I was doing my devotions. Sounds like I better close the window.

The minute the window was shut, I could no longer hear my neighbor’s car music.

Now I could finally go back to read and study Joel 2:3.

A Time To Turn Off

For those of you who are subscribed to my blog or read over it on a regular basis, you might’ve noticed that last week I didn’t do any new posts.
And I understand if some of you might’ve wondered why.

Well, the reason is simple.

I just needed to take a little break from the blog. I mean, last week I just felt impressed that I needed to take time to “turn off” and focus on other important things.

And, dear reader, I believe God is calling you to do the same.

Let me explain more about what I mean in the next section below.

Closed Windows, Open Soul

So, what does my break from the blog have to do with my little incident I had with my neighbor’s music?

Just like I had to close my bedroom window in order to have a more “wide open” devotional experience, so we as Christians need to close certain windows in our lives to keep our spiritual connection with God more open.

For me last week, it was the blog.
But for you, dear reader, it may be something else.

Maybe it’s a job opportunity. Or maybe it’s a college scholarship. Or maybe it’s a friend. Or maybe it’s all 3 of these things–or something totally different.

But at the end of the day, it’s something that’s keeping you from having an open and clear relationship with God; or, has the POTENTIAL of blocking up your relationship with Him.

Christ’s Call To Close

Jesus Himself also instructed us as His followers the necessity to close certain windows in our lives:

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

(Matthew 5:29-30)

Oftentimes when there’s open windows in our lives that are causing us to sin, it is best to close them.
To pluck them out.
To cut them off.

Why?

Because sin is the BIGGEST thing that ULTIMATELY blocks our connection with God, and prevents us from remaining openly connected with Him (see Isaiah 59:2).

A Prayer To Be Closed & Open

If, dear reader, you’ve been convicted to close up certain windows in your life, I wanna appeal to you to just pray the following prayer below:

I’d like to conclude this post with a song by one of my favorite music artists. I hope and pray that, as you listen to the song below, your heart will be deeply inspired to let NOTHING to go between you and an open connection with God. And also, as you listen to the song below, you’ll be moved to surrender and close any windows that God has called you to close in your personal life.

Amen! Maranatha!