A vision of four doors

Last Monday (June 15th) about 7am I had this vision, which I want to share. Note that what I write here does not represent my present church (or any particular church). It was a vision so the pictures were symbolic. It was speaking to me, however, and I think to the church as a whole as well.

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I was being quiet before the Lord, except for the occasional “Here I am, Lord”, “You are good”, and “You are holy”. All of the sudden I saw myself standing before four doors. I knew somehow what the first three doors were. The fourth door was different, and I knew I wasn’t supposed to try to open that door, nor even ask what it was.

The first door was called “revelation”. I opened the door and went in, and it was dark inside. But I saw a bright light a distance off. I could walk towards the light or back away from it. I didn’t yet go too close to the light, yet I knew I could come back to this place any time. It was the place to learn about God and the Kingdom.

I went in the second door, it was called “outreach”. Behind it were hungry people. They were calling “over here, over here” and reaching for me. They were many races, many of them poor, most of them non-caucasian. They were hungry for the least little thing I would share with them about Jesus and the Kingdom.

I went in the third door, it was called “ministry”. In it was like a big formal church sanctuary, a relatively modern sanctuary, but with large old-fashioned fixed pews. The carpet was red. For the size of the church, however, it was largely empty. The pulpit was vacant, I knew I had a message to deliver there, but the crowd was passive, unresponsive. There was no enthusiasm in the singing.

Then I was standing outside of the four doors. I was told that of the first three doors, I could choose to spend as much time as I wanted behind each door, I would make that decision. I could move from door to door freely.

What I saw, however: I most wanted to spend my time behind the third door (ministry) – ministering to those that are already in the kingdom. I most needed to spend my time behind the first door (revelation). I was most needed by others behind the second door (outreach).

I’m asking the Lord to help me apply what I saw. I need to balance the time I spend at each of these calls on my life. It’s easy to get too involved in any one of these.

Doug