2024 Lent Devotional: Week 1
Checking the Door
By Rev. Dr. Leo Yates, Jr.
Click here for an ASL version.
Scripture: Revelation 3:20
Jesus said, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”
When we were visiting family in another state we often would knock on the door to their home which lets them know someone is at the door. Having deaf parents myself, we had a special light signaler (doorbell) that would flash lights throughout the home when someone rang the doorbell. This is how my parents would know someone was at the door. The homebuilder was not aware of such a device, but the deaf electrician that my parents hired certainly did. Whether the light signaler was a plug in the wall type device or was hard wired to the ceiling lights, they provided the same outcome – someone was at the door.
Christ too referenced being at the door and knocking to let the homeowner know He was there. Verse 20 specifically shares how He was to be invited in so He could have a meal among friends. Within the church, we need to be aware that not everyone can hear the door knocking. If deaf and hard of hearing persons cannot hear the knocking, then they likely need accommodations, such as the light signaler (doorbell) at one’s home, so they can better participate in the life of the church. Whether it is turning on captioning, offering transcripts, utilizing A/V sound equipment, and/or offering sign language interpreters, these and other ways support the invitation to deaf and hard of hearing people so they too can come in and share in the meal. Christ would find alternatives to knocking so deaf and hard of hearing people could invite Him in. Churches should do the same as it’s one way of extending the hand of Christ. Amen.
Prayer
God, thank you for knocking on our door, inviting us into a relationship with you. Show us new ways to be inviting to all people so they too can know they belong. Amen.
Rev. Dr. Leo Yates (he/him) is an ordained deacon in full connection. He serves as the Accessibility and Inclusion Coordinator in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. Leo is also the ASL interpreter coordinator for General Conference.