Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.”
What does Revelation 3:20 mean?
Jesus is describing himself as someone standing outside, waiting patiently rather than forcing his way in. The image of knocking and waiting for an answer suggests respect for our freedom, even as he earnestly desires to be welcomed into our lives. When he speaks of dining together, he's pointing to the kind of intimate fellowship and nourishment that comes from a genuine relationship with him, not a distant or one-sided arrangement. This invitation comes near the end of Revelation, in a letter to a church that had grown lukewarm and complacent. The beauty of it is that even when we've drifted or closed ourselves off, Jesus doesn't give up, he doesn't break down the door, and he doesn't shame us for our distance. He simply stands there, knocking, waiting to see if we'll open up and let him back in.