One Door

"But I will establish my covenant with you and you will enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.  You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you." (Genesis 6:18-19) Noah received instructions from the Lord on how to build the ark, a place of refuge from the storm, a place of peace and rest, and an instrument of deliverance. There was only one door placed in the side of the ark—one way to enter.  Noah entered the door with his family and all the animals.  "Then the Lord shut him in." (Genesis 7:16) The Lord kept all of them safe in the ark.
 
Last week I was privileged to visit "The Ark Encounter" in Williamstown, Kentucky.  Kenneth Ham, Australian-born Christian who is responsible for the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, and defender of the Biblical account of creation, felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to construct a full-size model of Noah's ark.  One is overwhelmed by the size of this model and all that must have gone into constructing it and filling it with provision and animal models.  In the side of this ark, above what would have been the water line, there is only one doorway into the interior.  On the inside of the door you can see the shadow of a cross.  It is a reminder that God still provides a door for us to be saved—but only one!
 
Through the example of the ark, God was showing humankind that He would provide an open door, or a way, for us to be saved.  Jesus promised His disciples that He would prepare a place for them in heaven.  Thomas asked Him, "'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.'" (John 14:5-6) The way to the Father, where there is eternal life, is through the Son.  He is the only door into eternity.  How do we enter?  It is through faith—faith that Jesus is who He says He is--and actions that show our agreement with what He says.  Jesus said, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)
 
There is only one way to be saved, the way to eternal life.  Jesus is our ark from the storms of life, our place of peace and rest.  He provides these things for us while we are here on earth and for eternity.  Do not be fooled.  Jesus taught that the way to eternal life is narrow.  "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to." (Luke 13:24) "Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
 
Jesus says, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me." (Revelation 3:20) Here it is—an open invitation to join Him—the only way!  We are blessed to have a God who loves us so much that He provides the way.  Let us praise Him for being the door to eternal life.