Welcome to 2024!!!!
I have been pondering how to start this year, and the phrase that keeps coming to mind is that 2024 is the year of Open Doors.
Open Doors in 2024!
As a real estate agent, this means full access. When someone’s door is opened to us, we are given permission to explore the entirety of their home.
I wonder what would happen if we gave our entire heart over for the Holy Spirit to explore. What would He find? What would the Divine say to us when we finally surrendered our plans for His and said not my will, but Yours be done? Doesn’t that sound fun, or does it make you want to run?
There is a story that comes to mind about a father who ran after his son that I want to start with here today:
Then Jesus said, “Once there was a father with two sons. The younger son came to his father and said, 'Father, don’t you think it’s time to give me my share of your estate?’
He didn’t seem to want to wait on his father’s timing.
“So the father went ahead and distributed between the two sons their inheritance. Shortly afterward, the younger son packed up all his belongings and traveled off to see the world.
So far so good.
“He journeyed to a far-off land where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.
Sometimes when we get things early, we don’t have the reserve we need for tomorrow’s potential famines. The son choosing to go his own way caused a level of suffering he would not have had to endure if he had stayed.
“With everything spent and nothing left, he grew hungry, because there was a severe famine in that land.
Before we continue, I want to make a point to say this is the moment of open door. In the world’s eyes, he was at the end of his rope, but in the kingdom, this was his setup for a true encounter. In his eyes, he had nothing left, but I believe in the Father’s eyes he was just getting started. He was walking into his new start, for the Father was allowing his circumstance to set him up for his new finish. How many stories in the Bible take empty things and have them refilled to overflow? Now back to the story.
“So he begged a farmer in that country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent him out to feed the pigs. The son was so famished, he was willing even to eat the slop given to the pigs, because no one would feed him a thing.
Man can’t quench what only the Father can feed. There is a hunger inside every human, and for some it might take a lifetime to figure out that only the Father can fulfill it.
“Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing, and he thought, 'There are many workers at my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They lack nothing.
When in the Father’s house, you lack nothing.
‘Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating their slop? I want to go back home to my father’s house, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I’ll never again be worthy to be called your son.
Isn’t it interesting that we are always ready to give our identity and/or inheritance away? But some things really can’t be replaced, only redeemed. This almost sounds like a salvation prayer. Another example of an ultimate open door and our key to eternal life. Amen.
“Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employee.”’ So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. The father raced out to meet him, swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love. “Then the son said, 'Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be.’—The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’
The beauty of this story is right here in this section of passage. How the father responds matters so much to our perspective of how we perceive our Father to respond to us when we mess up and feel we need to come to Him for forgiveness. How does he respond with compassion?
“Turning to his servants, the father said, 'Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes you can find for my son. Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate.
This moment here is a real picture of the father placing sonship and identity back onto his son. He covered him and all his sins were forgiven. He gave him a ring as a seal on his finger. He even covered his feet from head to toe. I like the sound of that.
‘For my beloved son was once dead, but now he’s alive! Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.
“Now, the older son was out working in the field when his brother returned, and as he approached the house, he heard the music of celebration and dancing. He called over one of the servants and asked, 'What’s going on?’ The servant replied, 'It’s your younger brother. He’s returned home and your father is throwing a party to celebrate his homecoming.’ The older son became angry and refused to go in and celebrate. So his father came out and pleaded with him, ‘Come and enjoy the feast with us!’ The son said, 'Father, listen! How many years have I worked like a slave for you, performing every duty you’ve asked as a faithful son? And I’ve never once disobeyed you.
He sounds proud of his good deeds, doesn’t he?
‘But you’ve never thrown a party for me because of my faithfulness.
We are starting to get somewhere. The pain is starting to bubble up.
‘Never once have you even given me a goat that I could feast on and celebrate with my friends as this son of yours is doing now.
I think he wanted to feel seen and celebrated, and yet the son who wasted it all gets all the praise, at least that’s the way he sees it. He probably never mentioned this to his father before, and until he had something to compare it to, he didn’t know how mad he really was or how badly he wanted to be celebrated for his faithfulness.
‘Look at him! He comes back after wasting your wealth on prostitutes and reckless living, and here you are throwing a great feast to celebrate—for him!’ The father said, 'My son, you are always with me by my side. Everything I have is yours to enjoy. It’s only right to rejoice and celebrate like this, because your brother was once dead and gone, but now he is alive and back with us again. He was lost, but now he is found!’”
-Luke 15:11-32 TPT
He could not separate his pain to celebrate his brother’s return. It only amplified it. And as for the father, I don’t know if they really understood each other, for the rest for the story is not given.
I don’t know how you’re walking into 2024. Are you walking into it feeling like you’re lost and need to be found, or maybe you are feeling angry and frustrated? Are you excited for what’s next, or are you feeling disillusioned by all that happened in 2023 and not sure how it’s all going to end up in 2024?
This passage is here to be a beacon of hope, for it doesn’t matter how you come, just that you come. There is a line I say sometimes: “Just get here!”
When you change your patterns, and start looking for life outside of your Father’s sight, life can start to have a freight. Now, I do not think we are ever out of His sight, but we can for sure lose sight of Him. I have found that He is the opener of better doors that feel more like home than any other. This passage is a reminder that the Father is always anticipating our return however we come. It says from a long way off, the father saw his son coming, and a great compassion swelling up inside his heart, and he ran to embrace him and would not let go.
Whatever you have been struggling with and maybe having a hard time letting go of, I believe there is Open Doors awaiting those who are willing to ask for help by returning to their Heavenly Father. He is ready to embrace you with those compassionate arms and loving eyes. The son’s repentance may not have been necessary for the father’s forgiveness, but that change of heart was critical to the change in the son’s heart. It accessed an open door to allow love to wash all over him.
I read recently a quote by Nate Johnston: “The door before you right now is small. You can’t walk through it carrying the weight and burdens you are currently carrying.”
So, we can’t take all of our yesterdays into our future days. Let me say that again: we can’t take our yesterdays into our future days.
So, I have a challenge here at the beginning of the year.
Imagine your life is perfect in every way. Imagine if you had no regrets, no humans to forgive, the best family, the best job and all the other things that keep you feeling fully accomplished. If everything was perfect, what would you allow yourself to start dreaming about?
I am curious, what are you not doing because of excuses?
What limited beliefs are holding you back from your destiny?
What skill or money is missing to live out your dreams?
Are there fears? Maybe fear of failure or fear of the unknown?
Is there a critical spirit telling you that would be crazy and it will never work?
Every invention goes through a research and development period to get things right. Will you allow yourself that kind of grace to work out the kinks until there is no missing links?
I am here to encourage you, YOU ARE BRILLIANT AND DESIGNED TO CREATE NEW THINGS WITH THE FATHER!
NOW IS THE TIME!!!
OPEN DOORS ARE UPON US!
Will you walk through them? We can walk through them together!
That is what the Widow Walk is all about. Walking through life side by side—the happy moments, and the ones that are not so happy.
I hope you will believe with me that all that is needed is sitting inside of you, and remember that the Father above planted those skills long ago and now is the time to let them flow. Amen and amen.
As I was writing this first blog of the year, this is the album that was singing over me. May it bless you as it has me. Consider listening to it as you ponder on the questions above.
The Secret Place Album - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nEjOClCT-ycfhYs9hwypqmHbNrjuXGnNg&si=r1VY65sDm8LKlOJS
And afterwards, enjoy this song that’s sure to get you moving into the new year.
Open Door Season - https://youtu.be/tf5-QPqV4Vw?si=BTFBpXhcM9MhUco0
Until next time,
Keep Believing
Keep Braving
Keep Beaming