The letter to the church at Laodicea . . . 

This passage if famous for the image of Jesus knocking on the door of our lives. What is less well known is that the imagery of knocking on the door here seems to be drawn from the Old Testament love poem, the Song of Solomon.

That story can help us think about this passage. Someone is knocking. He wants to be with the one he loves but for trivial reasons there is a half-hearted response. In the end that response or lack of is deeply regretted. In each of the seven letters that begin the book of Revelation there is a focus or theme that all Christians need to hear. The theme in this letter has to do with how and why we respond to Jesus and open the door to him.