THE SHUTTERED COTTAGE!

 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." Revelation 3:20. (NKJV).

"No mail today, Grandfather." Timmy shuffled in, Sam on his heels. He eased the door shut.

"Mail came early. This the letter you're expecting?" He held it up. Timmy's eyes flared.

"Read it to us? Please?"

Dear Brother,

On the next Thursday, we gathered friends and headed for the village. A left turn at the town theater, and there was the yellow house. We hopped out of the van and knocked on the door.

"We're here at Maria's invitation." 

"Who?"

Yes, this was the Morales home but no Maria lived here. So we began our search. After checking every yellow house in the village, we started to go home when a villager asked if we'd found her. At the shake of our heads, he said.

"There's one more Morales family but they live in a blue house. It's on your way out of town."

The van pulled to a stop in front of the blue stucco cottage--a shuttered window on either side of the closed door. One of our group knocked. The lady of the house didn't know Maria. Then a strange thing happened. The left front tire went flat--as a pancake--in an instant.

"Mary," my husband said. "This is the house where the Lord has sent us. You knock, I'll change the tire."

Brother, I'm here to tell you, this is the first time in my life, and probably the last, when I wanted to change a tire. But I knocked on the door and the sweetest grandmother answered. I introduced myself and explained we were Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Did she have grandchildren we could tell about the love of Jesus?

Did she have grandchildren? Oh, my. She waved her hands, and grandchildren came. Her home, along with her children’s, took up a village block—her house, a wall, her son's house, a wall--you get the picture. They shared a huge walled-in backyard. She's invited us back next Thursday to start a Bible study for the children. I'm so excited.

In my mind's eye, I can see the Lord Jesus standing at the same door, closed. Then He arranged through a beggar, a search, and a flat tire, to bring the Good news to this village. What an awesome God we serve.

I'd better close for now. Thanks for your prayers. 

Love you, Mary

"Grandfather, That's amazing. What happened to the angel lady?" He hesitated. "I'd like to be there. Think I can be a missionary someday?"

"Well, You have to be called."

"Can you explain?" 

"First you have to love the Lord. As you get to know Him, He leads you to the place He wants you to go."

Timmy tilted his head. "Like Aunt Mary? She didn't know she'd end up in the village when the beggar came to her door." Grandfather nodded. "She didn't know all the places she'd go. She loved Jesus and followed Him?"

"Absolutely." 

"That's is life I want. To follow Jesus where He wants me to go."

Grandfather's eyes glistened as he hugged his grandson.

Kingdom Thinking.  The Lord paid the penalty for all our sins through his death. He rose from the dead. He lives. To live through us to assure us an abundant life in Him--a life of fellowship and dining with Him.  You have a special invitation. Please come.