The other day I came across a poem that was carefully folded in the back of my wallet. I had not seen it in a very long time. I kept it because I felt it rightly expressed my calling to Men's Ministry. It was written years ago by Sam Shoemaker (from the Oxford Group). I share it with you now:
I
Stand by the Door
I stand by the door.
I neither go too far in nor
stay too far out.
The door is the most
important door in the world -
It is the door through which
men walk when they find God.
There is no use my going way
inside and staying there,
When so many are still
outside and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door
is.
And all that so many ever
find
Is only the wall where the
door ought to be.
They creep along the wall
like blind men,
With outstretched, groping
hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing
there must be a door,
Yet they never find it.
So I stand by the door.
The most tremendous thing in
the world
Is for men to find that door
- the door to God.
The most important thing
that any man can do
Is to take hold of one of
those blind, groping hands
And put it on the latch -
the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man's own
touch.
Men die outside the door, as
starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel
cities in the dead of winter.
Die for want of what is
within their grasp.
They live on the other side
of it - live because they have not found it.
Nothing else matters
compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in,
and find Him.
So I stand by the door.
Go in great saints; go all
the way in -
Go way down into the
cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious
attics.
It is a vast, roomy house,
this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden
casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence,
of sainthood.
Some must inhabit those
inner rooms
And know the depths and
heights of God,
And call outside to the rest
of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper
look in.
Sometimes venture in a
little farther,
But my place seems closer to
the opening. So I stand by the door.
There is another reason why
I stand there.
Some people get part way in
and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His
house devour them;
For God is so very great and
asks all of us.
And these people feel a
cosmic claustrophobia
And want to get out. 'Let me
out!' they cry.
And the people way inside
only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door
to tell them that they are spoiled.
For the old life, they have
seen too much:
One taste of God and nothing
but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching
for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just
where they came in,
To tell them how much better
it is inside.
The people too far in do not
see how near these are
To leaving - preoccupied
with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for
those who have entered the door
But would like to run away.
So for them too,
I stand by the door.
I admire the people who go
way in.
But I wish they would not
forget how it was
Before they got in. Then
they would be able to help
The people who have not yet
even found the door.
Or the people who want to
run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply and
stay in too long
And forget the people
outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my
old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear
Him and know He is there,
But not so far from men as
not to hear them,
And remember they are there
too.
Where? Outside the door -
Thousands of them. Millions
of them.
But - more important for me
-
One of them, two of them,
ten of them.
Whose hands I am intended to
put on the latch.
So I shall stand by the door
and wait
For those who seek it.
'I had rather be a
door-keeper
So I stand by the door.
Please don’t forget!
When you purchase something from Amazon, please go to:
www.smile.amazon.com/ch/58-2009795.
Amazon contributes a portion of each sale to our ministry.
I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL TO EACH ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR
PRAYERS, ENCOURAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
We are:
Together, In His Love and Service,
NET WORK MINISTRIES, INC. EXISTS FOR THE
PURPOSE OF BRINGING TOGETHER GOD’S PEOPLE AND HIS RESOURCES TO PRESENT THE
HEALING MESSAGE OF CHRIST’S
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, THROUGH WORD AND DEED, TO A HURTING AND LOST WORLD.
NET WORK MINISTRIES, INC.
2671 OLD HICKORY DRIVE, N.W.
MARIETTA, GA., 30064-1833
678-986-4814
E-mail address – peggyandbuck@yahoo.com
Website: www.networkministries.blogspot.com