When building a birdhouse for your feathered friends, the size of the “front door” is crucial.

You must create the right-sized entrance hole or the “wrong” bird will take up residence.

For instance, a wren or chickadee prefers an entrance hole to be about 1.125 inches across. A bluebird likes a slightly bigger doorway, about 1.5 inches in diameter.

A finch needs an opening 2 inches across, thank you very much, and purple martins prefer a bit more wiggle room than that to squeeze through the front door.

And if you don’t surround the hole with protective metal mesh, the squirrels will chew the hole bigger and move in themselves. Then you’ll discover you’re the proud owner of a squirrel house (I learned this the hard way).

All of this got me thinking about the story of Noah’s Ark in the Bible…

It had a big enough door for any bird to enter, even an ostrich, which can reach 9 feet in height. The Ark’s entryway could also accommodate the largest land animals, such as elephants or giraffes.

But there was a catch: any animal could enter the Ark, as long as they went through the designated door. There was only one door: the animals didn’t get to choose how they entered the Ark. Rescue was not on their terms.

Perhaps there’s a parallel here in the way Jesus rescues us.

He offers forgiveness of sins to all who come to Him.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

But there’s a catch: if you want eternal life, you have to enter through the prescribed door. There is no other way.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

You don’t get to choose the door by which you enter eternal life. There is only one.

Jesus has the right-sized door for everyone, no matter your height or shape. But you must go through His door: rescue is not on your terms.

2 Peter 3:9 tells us that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

Jesus beckons you. He wants you to believe in Him and to accept His atoning work on the Cross for forgiveness of your sins. His door is always open to you.

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Jesus has an open-door policy.

Won’t you enter?

© 2024 Lori J. Cartmell. All rights reserved.