Mind the Doors!

When I was younger, I occasionally went on outings with our church children’s club. On one memorable trip, we boarded a train at Dartford, bound for London - but the adventure almost ended before it began. A gaggle of noisy, boisterous children piled into an old-fashioned carriage - the kind with swing-open doors and pull-down windows. I chose a seat near the door.
 
Then came the whistle. The warning cry echoed down the platform: “Mind the doors!” The door slammed shut - and my finger was trapped firmly in the hinge. Convinced it would be severed on the spot, I shouted in panic. Mercifully, the door was quickly reopened, and I was left with a finger that, though still attached, throbbed with pain. A timely rescue.
 
When Jesus declares, “I am the door for the sheep” (John 10:7), He is issuing a divine safety announcement - one that still rings true two thousand years later. In the ancient sheepfold, the shepherd would lie across the entrance at night. No sheep could wander out unnoticed. No wolf could sneak in unseen. The shepherd himself became the door - watchful, wounded if necessary, wholly committed.
 
May we each be mindful of the Door - Jesus – who gives access and assurance, who enables entrance and enclosure. He bars the way to those who would deceive, damage or destroy. Enter eagerly into His fold, remain confidently, and follow faithfully the Shepherd who became the Door for you.
Revd Michael Hogg