Have you ever been to Saint Paul’s Cathedral in London? It is one of the most magnificent churches in the world. One of the most memorable things inside the cathedral for me was seeing the famous painting by Holman Hunt that he called, “The Light of the World.”
William Holman Hunt was an artist from Great Britain. The painting has become one of the most recognized religious paintings in art history. He depicts Christ standing at the tightly-closed door of a cottage which is obviously neglected. Jesus is holding a lantern in one hand. His other hand is knocking at the door. To me, the most unique feature of the painting is that there is no handle on the outside of the door. For Jesus to enter the cottage, the door would have to be opened from the inside.
Holman claimed that his motivation for the painting was from the book of Revelation, chapter 3, verse 10. This verse has the words of Jesus to the church in Laodicea, a church which had become apathetic. But Jesus would not force himself into it. He stood patiently outside, waiting to be invited in, knocking at the door. The artist said the door in the painting represented, “the obstinately shut mind.”
Such an incredible painting that speaks to us across the years. If we quietly listen, maybe we can hear the knocking of Christ on the door of our lives.