"Vacancy." That's what the blinking motel sign said. It meant there was room available for whoever wanted to occupy the room, for the cost the owner had determined. Our person is like a residence with many rooms. We have the "emotion" room, the "will" room, the "mind" room, etc. When we're born, those rooms are clean and ready for occupancy. We expect that love, safety and care will occupy our residence, but the young do not always know what they look like. All too often what we expect does not arrive. We get love but its often accompanied with pain. We get encouragement but it arrives with discipline, which is sometimes uncomfortable. Delightful experiences come and stay but are sometimes followed by hurtful experiences. We can become confused and angry and distrustful. Depending on the degree of discomfort, we may decide who gets to stay--love or hatred or disinterest, joy or sadness, peace or turmoil. If we believe we have suffered enough, we may put locks, called bitter expectations, on the doors . We try to keep our residence vacant, yet, it seems, the tormentors always find a way in. Once they get in, they stay with or without our permission!

Jesus Christ stands at the door and knocks. He wishes to come in and occupy our residence. He wishes us to join Him at table and enjoy what He has prepared for us. But we may not let Him in, since all the other previous occupants have done damage. They said they loved and cared, but it certainly didn't end up the way we expected. Now, what do you do? Do you trust once again? Do you let Jesus Christ fill the vacancy or do you try and keep the house to yourself? A motel that can't fill its vacancies or fills them with destructive types of occupants, soon is bankrupt and falls into decay or becomes a slum for the worst kinds of characters. Jesus Christ came to bring life and wholesomeness. "Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If anyone hears Me calling and opens the door, I will come in and share his life side by side with him," Jesus says (Revelation 3:20 paraphrase). Think about it.