Lake Deaton at Home

Monday, January 3, 2022

Witness: Glenn Dennison

Scripture: Revelation 3:20

Weekly Theme:  Announce 

To have a relationship with Jesus, I first had to open the door.  This meant more than just knowledge about Jesus.  For me, this was a long and not always steady journey.  Fortunately, Jesus was patient and gave me the time to answer His knock on the door of my being; my mind, my heart, and my spirit.

After 12 years of Catholic education, I knew a lot about God and Jesus.  After all, it was a school study subject, and I was tested frequently on my knowledge.  Heck, I was even an altar boy who knew the entire ritual of the Mass in both Latin and English.  

For a change, while pursuing an undergraduate degree at Wesley College, I studied religions of the Far East and enjoyed reading Greek Mythology.  After a couple of decades of being a wandering (and wondering) Christian, I settled in a Presbyterian church in Raleigh, NC.  This was when I started to approach the door to Jesus ever so slowly as I attended annual church retreats, listened intensely to great speakers, and participated in small group discussions.  I heard the knock but did not yet answer.

It was only about 6-7 years ago that I decided I wanted to know if I was a true Christian.  I started by getting a Life Application Study Bible.  I started with Luke, as advised by a pastor, and after the New Testament (NT), I went to the Old Testament (OT).  Two questions arose.  First, “Can I trust what is written in this copy of the NT?”

So, I researched for information on the history and authenticity of the books of the NT.  And, I found overwhelming evidence that the books do provide an extremely trustworthy account of what occurred during the time of Jesus.  This was very comforting.

This led to my second big question:  “How do I know that Jesus actually rose from the dead and appeared to many before returning to the Father?”  This started me on another search, reading and listening to debates on proof of the resurrection by Christians vs. Atheists.  The debates were excellent.  The Christians easily won.

In the end, I was finally and thoroughly convinced that Jesus was whom He said He was and returned from the dead to prove it.  This proof of the resurrection was the “key” to open the door of my existence to Jesus.

Since my door had finally opened, I continuously seek to improve my relationship with Jesus and develop a Christian mind, heart, and spirit.

Daily Prayer:  Lord, thank you for giving me life and this earth you created for us.  I’m sorry for my sins.  Please send your Spirit to guide me down a better path.

Discussion/Reflection Questions:

1. Have you opened the door to a relationship with Jesus?
2. What would it take to open your heart to Jesus?
3. How do you nurture and grow your relationship with Jesus?