Lateness and Closed Doors

Even if I try not to, I sometimes run late.
This is something that drives my husband crazy.
He will be ready to go, waiting for me downstairs and I am still getting dressed.
It’s not that I am late on purpose; it’s just that I always think I have more time.

I think I have more time to answer that one email.
I think I have more time to do a few things in the kitchen.
I think I have more time to send that short text.
I always think I have more time than I actually do.

If I could be five minutes early instead of a frustrating five minutes late.
My husband is never late.
I would like to say it is a woman thing but that is not true.
There are some women who are very punctual.

I remember when one of my children had to make a speech.
The speech was not in school but was rather at another location.
I knew where I was going and gave myself enough time to get there.
I did not give myself enough time to park the car and walk the distance I needed to walk.

The speech was on a college campus, though college would be years away.
I entered the correct building and discovered that I had to walk up two flights of stairs.
I finally reached the corridor and searched for the appropriate classroom.
I saw that the classroom was halfway down the hallway where I was standing.

I power-walked down the hallway noticing every click of my heels.
I was only two doors away when the door to the classroom I needed to enter was closed.
There was a rectangular pane of class that allowed me to see inside.
I motioned to the moderator across the room to open the door.

The person shook their head, no, and walked the other way.
I remembered the instructions said that once the speeches began there was no admittance.
However the speeches had not begun yet.
I wanted to disobey and open the door anyway but thought better of it.

The speech I was there to hear was actually first on the schedule.
I peered through the rectangular glass pane and was spotted.
My child knew that I was there.
I gave the thumbs up sign as I wiped away a tear.

There was an open transom window above the classroom door.
So I could hear everything clearly.
I could see, but only through a glass window.
I was there, but not there, and I was so annoyed at myself.

I sat in the hallway for the entire hour and a half.
I couldn’t wait until the speeches ended so that I could go inside.
Hugs and praises were poured out on my child.
Apologies were spoken with sincere remorse.

You were there, Mom.
I saw you.
We started early.
Another parent wasn’t there either.

I did remember seeing someone else roaming the halls.
I know that rules are rules.
I was hoping for an exception.
I was hoping for grace.

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight the cry rang out: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.” “No,” they replied, “there may not be enough for both of us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.” But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.  Later the others came. “Sir! Sir!” they cried. “Open the door for us!” But he replied, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.” Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day of the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13)

The door was shut.
I know the feeling.
My child was on the other side of that classroom door and I wanted to get in.
But rules were rules and I was late.

Oh, the remorse I felt that day.
The disappointment that weighed heavily on me.
I could see but with a limited view.
I could hear from a distance but I could not enter in.

I remember that day vividly and how it made me feel.
I never had that happen again.
The memory of feeling so excluded because of my own tardiness is fresh in my mind.
It was my child that I wanted to see that day.

Our eternal destiny is vitally important.
We act as if we have all the time in the world.
There is time to think about church later.
There is time to read my Bible when I am not so busy.

There is time to think about God after my children go off to school.
God knows how hectic my life is.
God will understand.
I can have the Scarlet O’Hara attitude and say, I’ll think about that tomorrow.

But tomorrow may never come.
The door may be shut and it will be too late.
“Sir! Sir! Open the door for us!”
But he replied, “I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.”

Can you imagine the pain of that moment?
All the time you thought you had but you really didn’t.
All the good intentions that will one day come to pass but now they won’t.
The door is shut and it will not be opened.

The feeling of remorse.
The feeling of being so close but yet so far.
The realization that you have spent your life being foolish.
You have spent your life worrying about the non-essentials and neglecting the essentials.

We never want to hear God say, I don’t know you.
God’s Word tells us to: ask and it will be given to you.
Seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7)
However, there will be a time when the door is closed for good.

At the moment the door is closed, it will be too late.
At that moment is the point of no return.
But until then, there is grace, and forgiveness, and acceptance.
What are you waiting for?

Be wise.
Be prepared.
Be ready.
You do not know the day or the hour.

The door is still open for you.

2 responses to “Lateness and Closed Doors”

1. How I love this post, Dear Friend. How true it is, and how eternal the consequences! This is the message we need to give — There is grace, and there is forgiveness and there is HOPE — but the time is NOW. Tomorrow may be too late. God help us to be timely and faithful bearers of The Message.

   Reply

   • Mary Ann,
     How important to keep the balance when we share the Gospel. There is Hope. There is Mercy. There is forgiveness. There is urgency! It is the last part that many fail to heed. How right you are: the time is now.
     Gina

     Reply