When I was young we lived in the mountains, rural North Carolina. When I was in high school we moved to mountains, rural Colorado. Both homes had barns in the back and cows from the neighbors nearby but the climates were very different. When I would go out and play in NC we had to shut the screen door, when we lived in CO we didn’t have a screen door, the season for insect life was much smaller and the quantity of invaders was considerably less, but what came in gave us stories to enjoy. On one notable occasion one of the horses we cared for followed me right into the kitchen without even thinking twice about the fact that she had never climbed a stair into a building before. She was following me, her dearly loved friend, and for some reason had no normal fears about where ever I might take her. She trusted me completely and just strolled in like it was no big deal, the door was open and I went in, so she followed happily. 

    When I was a kid Mom was always after us to not leave the door hanging open, she’d say to us “what? Were you born in a barn?” For some reason being born in a barn was related to leaving doors open. At first, I couldn’t figure out why she’d say this. I mean, if anyone knew where I was born it’d be her not me. And being raised around animals all my life I was well aware of the risks of leaving barn doors open. Gathering animals into safety in the cold night air might be fun occasionally but generally it isn’t, especially if its due to someone’s carelessness. So why would someone being born in a barn mean they’d automatically not know to close doors? But then, realizing there was only one person I knew who had been born in a barn and He is rather famous for opening up doors it made sense.

    His very first guests to receive Him were shepherds, likely poor and uneducated, but His door was open for them. He, from the very start, broke the status image of who God lets in. While God’s blessings had always been associated with how much wealth one was blessed with, He said all of that would stand in their way. Narrow gates don’t allow for large baggage to be carried thru, only when one really loves who is inside is one willing to leave behind all the comforts and step confidently in. One of the most beautiful aspects of Christmas is the open doors of that stable. Wealth, status, education, caste, family, all of these had no bearing on entry, only love. His sheep know His voice and follow Him eagerly thru the gates. 

 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.  All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.  I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 

 John 10:7-9

    Our instinct is to close doors, feeling the need for protection, we want certain measurements to be met before entry, but He has no fears of invasions or want of protection. He opened the doors so that His love could bring us in, trusting Him completely and allow us to follow him happily. Muslims all over the world are met with closed doors, religious laws that restrict every aspect of their lives, and measurements that are never able to be met. We thank you for supporting us in showing them that the door is open to those who seek.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the gate. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.  So, let us go out to Him outside the gate, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

 Heb 13: 11-14

    His offering outside the gates allowed us to enter into His gates with praises and thanksgiving. Following Him into the city that is to come.  We praise Him for coming and being born in a barn and leaving the doors open for all of us messed up sinners to find the way into saftey!            Angela