Under the Door-Mat

Under the Door-Mat

(Picture credits at end of post)

Colossians 1:21-29

… Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27 – NASB)

Following the classic pattern of the absent-minded professor, I left my car-keys on the cedar chest, and went out the front door. After locking the door I remembered my car-keys and tried to get back inside, but the house-keys were on the ring with the car-keys.

I panicked. Going behind the house I removed the screen from the back window. This was the window into our downstairs bedroom. The distance between the ground and the window was too high for me to climb in without assistance, so I enlisted the aid of a rickety bench-like contraption so I could get to the level of the window. I should mention the ground under the window is extremely un-even.

Balancing like a circus clown trying to do a trapeze act, and already out of breath, I squeezed through the window, over the head-board of our bed, and lay panting on the bed with a feeling of relief. I retrieved my keys and was able to make it to church on time.

A couple of days later I happened to look down as I was putting the key into the door, and it suddenly hit me. A spare key to the door was under the door-mat.  I had endured trial and suffering to get into the house when all the while the key to the door was under the door-mat.

Many of the struggles we face in our Christian lives; many of the lengths we go to in order gain the victory, are unnecessary. All we need is to remember where the key is, and sing the victory song: … Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Christ in Me

(© Thursday 17^th July 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

The key to unlock my troubles,

Was near to me, and close at hand;

It was sitting right beside me –

It was waiting for my command.

I struggled to live like Jesus;

I battled with all of my might,

The strength to prevail just failed me –

The key remained out of my sight.

I’d forgotten Christ living in me

Would live His own life divine,

Through me, and in me, as promised,

If only I’d claim Him as mine.

Not a great deal of my effort

Would have won me the victory;

If I’d remembered His promise,

I’d have found that His grace was free.

So the key under the doormat –

It reminds me, close as I breathe

The Saviour Himself lives inside me,

And when I just ask I’ll receive.

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Photo by The McClouds. Copyright. Used under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license; please take note of the Disclaimer at this link. No changes were made to this photo.