A Door of Hope

“I will… make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.”

Hosea 2:15 (ESV)

            I have a fascination with doors and gates. So, when I had the opportunity to travel to the Cotswolds (England) this past fall, I was delighted to discover an abundance of unusual and picturesque doorways. 

Doors represent access or egress, a change of location, situation, or condition. They offer a sense of mystery as they hold the potential to open new worlds and fresh experiences. As a child, and even to this day, I love Advent calendars (I confess, I sometimes cheated and opened some of the doors before their dates, thus ruining the surprise).

When God referenced the Valley of Achor in Hosea 2:15, he was referring to the place where God’s judgment was unleashed due to Achan’s disobedience (read Joshua 7 and 8 for the full story). Subsequently, it was named the Valley of Achor, meaning ‘trouble.’

Yet God, because of His mercy, promised to transform the Valley of Trouble into a door (or gateway) of hope. The very place that represented trouble would flourish once more. Judgment and death would be replaced with hope. Why? Because God is a forgiving and compassionate God.

John 10:9-10 states, “I (Jesus) am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved.” Jesus, through His death on the cross, became our access to grace. Our trouble, our judgment, has been erased and replaced with hope. “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of underserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory” (Romans 5:1-2).

In the hands of a merciful God, judgment is transformed into joy, trouble is exchanged for hope, death is swallowed up and replaced with eternal life. Jesus is The Door, our gateway to hope.

(If you’ve never received God’s gift of Grace, I would urge you to read the following section, Knowing God).

Knowing God

If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, I would encourage you to read the Scriptures below and pray the simple prayer of repentance at the end. The salvation God offers us is a gift. It’s simple and it’s free. He offers it to you, the only condition being that you accept it.

1. We have all sinned

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NIV)

• Because of our sin, we cannot live in communion with God

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 (NIV)

• God loved us so much, that he sent his Son to die as the penalty for our sins.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NIV).

• We cannot gain our way into heaven. All God asks of us is that we accept his gift of grace.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9.

• Accept God’s gift of grace and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.

The jailer… asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:19-31

Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. Romans 10:13.

            Pray with me. “I acknowledge I am a sinner. I know that my sins keep me from enjoying fellowship with you. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place. Please forgive my sins and help me live in a way that is pleasing to you. I accept your gift of grace and ask you to reign in my life as Lord and Savior from this day forward. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

            If you’ve prayed this prayer, then I welcome you into God’s family. You are now a child of God. I would encourage you to find a fellowship of believers where you can learn more about your wonderful heavenly Father and the grace he’s extended to you. Read your Bible and pray on a regular basis in order to grow in your faith and live a life that is pleasing to him.

            May God richly bless you as you begin a new life in Christ.