Gates!

Our property has three gates on it… well, sort of!  Facing the house on the right, there is the double gate that allows access to the back with a vehicle.  On the other side, at the far end of the fence, is a small gate and in the back to the far right is the last gate that leads to the property behind the fence line.  I said sort of because after having the property surveyed, I learned that the left front gate is actually NOT on our property!  That side of the yard borders a large common forested area in our neighborhood and the gate actually marks the property line.

I can see how it most likely came about as the side fence follows a straight line down that side of our yard, while the actual property goes at an angle from the far back corner, 10ft behind and a couple of feet to the left of the corner.  Whoever built the fence either didn’t know it or figured that no one would care!  Our place is one of the very few that have a fenced-in yard in the neighborhood, which was one of the few “must-haves” on our list when we were looking for a house.  With Piper’s needs at the time, I had to know that the dog would be okay outback in case I couldn’t always be out there with him… or her at the time!  But back to the gates…

Gates do a lot of things.  They allow a controlled way to get in and out of a closed-in area as well as give a sense of security, at least in our case, since the fence around the yard is only 4ft tall!  When someone wants to get into a fenced area, they normally will go to the nearest gate.  Sounds a little like what is going on at our southern border here in the USA doesn’t it!

In John 10:9 Jesus tells us that, “I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture.” (MSG)  To “find pasture” literally mean that “he shall not want the needful supplies for the true life” and/or to find “growth and increase.” (Thayer’s)  When I read that verse this morning I immediately thought, “Well, You’re sure trying to drive home a point here aren’t you Lord?”  So, I paused for a moment, collected my thoughts, grabbed my “Piper’s Story” journal that I started a few days after my wife’s departure to heaven, and wrote:

“Jesus is my gate.  Now more than ever before… not anyone or anything else… He is the ONE in whom I can go 24/7, into His presence and find the peace, the satisfaction, the rest and the void-filling I so desperately need to find… RIGHT NOW in my life!”

And I realized at that moment that I depended on Piper more than I thought.  I knew that she would always be there to love me, encourage me, hold me and just enjoy me for who I am.  No matter whatever kind of crazy day I had at work in my 20 years at H.P. and Agilent Technologies, or any of the other many jobs I had throughout the years, even including some rough times at the different churches we served in, I was assured that when I walked into the serenity and sanctity of our family home, that she would be my rock, the great equalizer who would bring me peace and comfort no matter how hectic things had been, no matter if I had a throbbing migraine (to which she’d immediately place her normally cold hand on my forehead and it acted like a tender ice-pack!) or was confused, embarrassed or angry about something stupid that I had done!

And now suddenly… she is with me no more!

So, what do I do now?  I go to the gate!  As far as I am concerned, all three of the gates in our yard lead to His serenity.  I know that God had a definite plan for the time we moved in, for the time of caring for my wonderful wife in this beautiful home and property… and now afterwards in my time of “life recovery.”  I’m finding that I really enjoy standing in the very middle of our backyard and slowly turning 360 degrees to enjoy the peaceful scenery, sounds of nature… and many times, the sounds of silence!

I also find that this is what it is like for me to walk through Jesus’ gate as I spend time with Him and the Father in His Word during the day and at night in the darkness of our room as I pray in bed.  The writer of Hebrews 4:16 gives us a similar line of truth when he or she wrote concerning Jesus the High Priest of our confession who has been tempted in every way we have yet without any sin, “Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (EMTV)

Probably like you… I need to find “His grace to help in time of need” a lot lately!  In fact, I’m discovering that I need it like NEVER before… sometimes just to make it through the next hour!  For He’s made is clear in His Word that His grace, like Piper’s love for me, will always be there to help me though and past this chapter in my life and guide me into what He has next in store for me!

And yeah… He will and most likely is already, doing the same for YOU!  So, reach out to Him, find His gate and walk on through!  Have a wonderful week, and as you do, say with me… “I am fully expecting to find the peace that only Jesus can give for my life today… and tomorrow as well!”