Those Closed Doors with Welcome Mats

²⁴ The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, “Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand… ²⁷ For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14)

Those closed Doors with Welcome Mats

a poem: by carole l. haines

I stood there, pondering; confused by what I saw.

The Door was locked before me, a door I felt the Lord had led me to.

Locked, Bolted, Immovable.

Why would He lead me here, just to send me away again?

Then I looked down at my feet, no Welcome Mat was found.

No place to wipe my worn and muddied feet.

It was such a long and arduous journey,

through forests and fields, along Stony paths and winding roads.

And all for what, to lead me to A Door that would not open for me.

I turned in frustration, and began to walk away.

As I noticed before me, lying on the Ground

The Welcome Mat, lying about a stones throw away

off to the right and slightly hidden.

This Path had not been traveled much, and needed to be cleared

Being a Gardener, I began to clear away debris, weeds and brush

until the Welcome Mat was clearly visible,

The path now obvious. Was I to take it?

Follow this Welcome Mat into the Unknown

Away from Shelter, Yes, but the Door was locked.

I took the chance to follow the road

being careful to stay on the path, so I could always find my way back.

The further down the Path I went, the more I wanted to continue

For the Forest thinned, and the Sun penetrated the Understory of Trees

Light filtered in Brighter and brighter, more and more

The Mud was drying as the the Sunlight warmed it.

My cloak was drying, my face now glowed

as I broke through into a field of Wildflowers

and still the path went on.

I tripped as I entered this meadow, and as I looked down

I spotted another Welcome Mat, Hidden in the grass

As a Gardener, I cleared it off again, and made it plain to see

It is then I realized,

It is not A Destination that I truly seek

You see, The Journey is the Point

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When one door closes, another opens, but we

often look so long and so regretfully upon the

closed door that we do not see the one that has

opened for us.

                                                     Alexander Graham Bell