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

One of the obstacles to intimacy with Christ is fear. Maybe you’ve heard Christ knocking, but if the truth were known the reason why you haven’t opened the door of your life to Christ is because you’re afraid. Fear is the barrier between you and Christ.

Thomas Keating in his book Intimacy with God, addresses the problem saying: “Because trust is so important, our spiritual journey may be blocked if we carry negative attitudes toward God from early childhood. If we are afraid of God or see God as an angry father-figure, a suspicious policeman, or a harsh judge, it will be hard to develop enthusiasm, or even interest, in the journey.”

You may identify with Keating’s comment. You long for intimacy with Christ but you’re scared because a mother, father, husband, wife, teacher, uncle, aunt, or someone else, wounded you in the past. Now you wonder if you can ever trust anyone again. That’s why, even though you’ve heard Christ knocking, you fear the risk of opening the door. But let me assure you, on the authority of God’s Word, Christ will never disappoint you, never let you down, never abuse you, never use you. Not now, not in the future, not ever. You have nothing to fear in Christ. He only wants what’s good for you. There’s no guile in Christ – no hidden agenda. He’ll never manipulate you, never bully you, and never take advantage of you.

In 1 John 4:18 it says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made perfect in love.” That’s the truth. Christ only, always, treats people with love and respect. He’s not the One to be feared because He’s the One who drives out fear. And that’s why there’s not a single person who’s opened the door to intimacy with Christ who’s ever been disappointed.

So step out in faith. Reject the fear that’s kept you from Christ. Be positive. It’s not as difficult as you think. Take Ralph Emerson’s suggestion, “Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain.” Simply pray the prayer of the man mentioned in Mark 9:24 when he exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Then, once you’ve prayed the prayer, open up and welcome Christ in.