This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you purchase something after clicking on one of my links. Thanks for supporting this ministry!

Continuing with Part Two of our Mini-Series on The Doorkeeper. I hope you are blessed by Jacob’s story! You can read Part One here and Part Three here!

I met a Door Keeper recently who reminded me what service, humility, honor and love are all about. We were teaching a Revival By Design seminar at a great church in Wenatchee, Washington, a couple of hours from Seattle. (Btw, if you EVER have opportunity to visit this part of the country, just look at the view!)

I digress. The Sweetheart referred to our Doorkeeper as “Door” because of his name-tag.  He called him that as if it was his first name and I was afraid he would be offended.

You cannot offend a true Door Keeper.

He was honored.

The Sweetheart called him up front during his Sunday sermon to congratulate him on his enthusiasm and attention to detail. He beamed as any 11 year old would. But it wasn’t a haughty pride. He loves what he does!

He takes his job seriously, very seriously. So much so that when I wanted to take his picture before I left and said, “Let’s get a couple outside…” he buzzed past me so fast to get to the door before I did just so he could open it for me. He wasn’t on the clock but that’s what is so unique about a true Door Keeper. Here he is with my beloved.

He was there to serve.

Door, or Jacob, as his parents and family refer to him, loves people. He lives to serve, to make others happy and to give of himself. He wears his nametag proudly but not with nose-in-the-air pride. He has been given a job in the house of God and he does it with every ounce of his being.

“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17.

He represents Christ.

In everything, he reflects the glory of God. He is the first person visitors see when they come to church. His “Welcome, we are so glad you are here” will set the tone for their entire experience. His smile must be infectious but not cheesy; his love for God, genuine. He must express that even HE is happy to be there and honored to serve everyone.

You see, Jacob, our resident Door Keeper, is an overcomer. He has much to be thankful for. Let me share his story…

Jacob was born at 28 weeks gestation but was the size of a 25 week gestation baby on January 25, 2004.

 

He weighed a whopping 1 lb, 12 oz. That is not a typo, ONE POUND, TWELVE OUNCES!

He was only 14 inches long.

When he was first born, his parents were told not to expect him to come home until his original due date or after, another three months! He left the hospital on the morning of March 30^th sporting a heart monitor for the first two weeks.

His family says he has been a fighter ever since.

I know it would sound corny to say that Jacob knew he had a purpose lying there in that hospital. Jacob didn’t know much of anything if we are honest about it. But Jacob’s GOD KNEW and Jacob’s GOD DID have a purpose for this tiny life.

Those with much to be thankful for tend to live out life to the fullest. They share, they give, and they inspire, encourage and motivate others to realize that THEY TOO have much to live for and should give back as much as possible.

Jacob doesn’t intend to waste his life dwelling on the past but revels in the fact that God reached down to a tiny little baby that fit in the palm of his mother’s and father’s hand and breathed life into him for a purpose.

Door Keepers DO have a purpose!

“It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.” Mark 13:34 ESV.

He guards The Church.

This 11 year old boy guards The Church? Now we will get personal. Was Jesus sharing this particular parable about a man who leaves the care of his home to servants, each one with a specific job to do to remind US, to guard The Body of Christ? To protect it at all cost? To shield it from danger, peril and to defend everything it stands for no matter what the cost?

Yes. But even more than that.

“…and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.” He doesn’t know when his master will return. He cannot afford to let one thing slip; nothing must be out of place, careful consideration has been made for each important duty.

Every. Single. Day.

We were given a charge, just like the servants in this parable, each with his work. We might be:

Door Keepers

Toilet Swabbers (oh, so very important!)

Vacuum Professionals

Window Washers Extraordinaire

Parking Lot Attendants

Groundskeepers

Ushers

Worship Leaders

Musicians

Sunday School Teachers

Youth Pastors

Pastors

Assistant Pastors, Assistants TO the Pastor, etc., etc.

Pastor’s Wives

Sound Technicians

Event Planners

Cooks

Dishwashers

Translators

Deaf Interpreters

Encouragers

Servants

Peacemakers

Helpers

And as we said in our first post, we do not limit these acts of service to the Church building…the Church is a BODY that just happens to meet in a building!

What is it that we DON’T need in the Church?

Busybodies

Gossips

Backbiters

Backstabbers

Blabbermouths

Meddlers

Know-it-alls

Tell-it-alls

Drainers

Troublemakers

Agitators

Liars

Thieves

Professional Protesters

Fault-finders

Nit-pickers

Holier-than-thou “Christians”

Judges or Juries!

We need to show the Love of God everywhere we are, but, in The Church, we can’t afford to let our sinful attitudes prevail. Christ died for those attitudes, for our sins, our mistakes, our past failures so that we could rise above our sinful nature and point others to Him. It is our sole purpose in living! To worship our Creator and to spread the Gospel message that Jesus is alive and invites them IN. Never to be the same!

So here we stand at the Door with Jacob.

We invite them in, literally, figuratively, with our words, with our actions, with the love of God shining through us.

Jacob wasn’t busy running around trying to do jobs that belonged to others, unless they needed his help. He would not have forsaken his post to try to be seen with the praise singers practicing before church. Nor would he have stood outside the pastor’s door listening for “talk”. He would not have been cutting up with the other young people around the water fountain before church. Why? Because he had HIS OWN WORK in the Body. And he was busy doing it with all his might.

Each one of us with his OWN work.

Tomorrow? I want you to meet another Doorkeeper. This one is unique and not normally given the title. Join me, won’t you?

Do you have a Doorkeeper in your life? I would love to hear about them!

 

Sharing with Memories by the Mile, Tell me a True STory, Titus 2 Tuesday, Testimony Tuesday, UNITE, Titus 2sday, RA-RA Linkup, life-giving linkup, Homemaking party, Wedded Wednesday, Wholehearted Wednesday, A little R & R, Women with Intention Wednesdays