“I see a red door and I want to paint it black.”
The Rolling Stones
I remember this song as the theme song for China Beach, a show about the Vietnam War. I have no idea what this song is about, but I always thought it was a cool song. And it kinda puts words to what I’m feeling right now.
You see, God has been doing a lot of work in my life recently. I don’t yet know what He is up to, but I know that He is up to something. Earlier this week I was talking with my older brother about this. He is a great man of God. He and his wife Marcella are better at hearing and following God’s instructions than anyone I have ever encountered. My brother is always good for speaking wisdom into my life when I need it. Anyways, I was talking to him about the work that God is doing in my life and he mentioned some scripture that I just can’t get out of my head.
“What he opens, no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open…I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”Revelation 3:7-8 NIV
When God closes a door, no one can open it, and when God opens a door no one can close it. However, as I sit here and look around I see many doors, and they’re all RED. If only one of them could be painted black.
When I in high school I was really into role playing games. My friends and I would gather at a friend’s house and stay up all night working through some fantasy campaign. Inevitably our adventures would take us into some underground dungeon or cave or something. While working through this maze of imaginary corridors we would find ourselves in a chamber with many doors. Behind one of these doors would be unbelievable treasure. Behind the others would be sure death.
That is where I find myself now. I feel like life had brought me to a chamber with many doors. Closely I look at each one trying to gain some indication as to which one leads to treasure and which one leads to death. Of course I am speaking metaphorically as none of these doors leads to treasure or death. However, there is a door that leads to the future that God has planned for me and others that do not. As I examine each door, closely looking over every detail, I see that they all look the same. Man how I wish that one of these red doors could be painted black.
I know that one these doors has been opened by God and no one can close it, how do I know which one? If God has closed the door, then no one can open it. So, should I just go around pulling on doors until I find the one that is open? If that is what it takes, then that is what I will do, but I will also be praying that God will show me the right door.
Nice analogy, Painted Black is one of my favourite Rolling Stone songs. If you listen to it from a religious point of view, you can correlate with God opening or Closing doors.