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<youtube>https://youtu.be/vSECKO5B7V8</youtube> | <youtube>https://youtu.be/vSECKO5B7V8</youtube> | ||
=What is the motivation for this website?= | =What is the motivation for this website?= | ||
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=Video Transcript= | =Video Transcript= | ||
'''I Stand by the Door''' by Samuel Moor Shoemaker | |||
:''I stand by the door. | |||
:''I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out. | |||
:''The door is the most important door in the world - | |||
:''It is the door through which men walk when they find God. | |||
I admire the people who go way in. | :''There is no use my going way inside and staying there, | ||
But I wish they would not forget how it was | :''When so many are still outside and they, as much as I, | ||
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help | :''Crave to know where the door is. | ||
The people who have not even found the door, | |||
Or the people who want to run away again from God. | :''And all that so many ever find | ||
You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long, | :''Is only the wall where the door ought to be. | ||
And forget the people outside the door. | :''They creep along the wall like blind men, | ||
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place, | :''With outstretched, groping hands, | ||
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there, | :''Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door, | ||
But not so far from people as not to hear them, | :''Yet they never find it. | ||
And remember they are there too. | :''So I stand by the door. | ||
Where? Outside the door— | |||
Thousands of them, millions of them. | :''The most tremendous thing in the world | ||
:''Is for men to find that door - the door to God. | |||
One of them, two of them, ten of them, | :''The most important thing that any man can do | ||
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch, | :''Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands | ||
So I shall stand by the door and wait | :''And put it on the latch - the latch that only clicks | ||
For those who seek it. | :''And opens to the man's own touch. | ||
"I had rather be a door-keeper..." | |||
So I stand by the door. | :''Men die outside the door, as starving beggars die | ||
:''On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter. | |||
:''Die for want of what is within their grasp. | |||
:''They live on the other side of it - live because they have not found it. | |||
:''Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it, | |||
:''And open it, and walk in, and find Him. | |||
:''So I stand by the door. | |||
:''Go in great saints; go all the way in - | |||
:''Go way down into the cavernous cellars, | |||
:''And way up into the spacious attics. | |||
:''It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is. | |||
:''Go into the deepest of hidden casements, | |||
:''Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood. | |||
:''Some must inhabit those inner rooms, | |||
:''And know the depths and heights of God, | |||
:''And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is. | |||
:''Sometimes I take a deeper look in, | |||
:''Sometimes venture a little farther; | |||
:''But my place seems closer to the opening . . . | |||
:''So I stand by the door. | |||
:''The people too far in do not see how near these are | |||
:''To leaving—preoccupied with the wonder of it all. | |||
:''Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door, | |||
:''But would like to run away. So for them, too, | |||
:''I stand by the door. | |||
:''I admire the people who go way in. | |||
:''But I wish they would not forget how it was | |||
:''Before they got in. Then they would be able to help | |||
:''The people who have not even found the door, | |||
:''Or the people who want to run away again from God. | |||
:''You can go in too deeply, and stay in too long, | |||
:''And forget the people outside the door. | |||
:''As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place, | |||
:''Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there, | |||
:''But not so far from people as not to hear them, | |||
:''And remember they are there too. | |||
:''Where? Outside the door— | |||
:''Thousands of them, millions of them. | |||
:''But — more important for me — | |||
:''One of them, two of them, ten of them, | |||
:''Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch, | |||
:''So I shall stand by the door and wait | |||
:''For those who seek it. | |||
:''"I had rather be a door-keeper..." | |||
:''So I stand by the door. | |||
Sam Shoemaker (1893-1963) served as a pastor in New York City and Pittsburgh. He was instrumental in establishing the spiritual foundation for Alcoholics Anonymous, particularly the need to turn to God as a way of coming out of alcoholism. Pastor Shoemaker wrote this poem toward the end of his life as an apology for his ministry. | Sam Shoemaker (1893-1963) served as a pastor in New York City and Pittsburgh. He was instrumental in establishing the spiritual foundation for Alcoholics Anonymous, particularly the need to turn to God as a way of coming out of alcoholism. Pastor Shoemaker wrote this poem toward the end of his life as an apology for his ministry. | ||
Someone mentioned this poem in passing at a meeting in which we were discussing the vision of the organization I was leading at the time. After the meeting, I searched for the poem and was moved to tears as I read it the first time. I started sending it to anyone who was interested in evangelism and was asked to read the poem for an online evangelism conference. I trust it will impact you as it did me. | Someone mentioned this poem in passing at a meeting in which we were discussing the vision of the organization I was leading at the time. After the meeting, I searched for the poem and was moved to tears as I read it the first time. I started sending it to anyone who was interested in evangelism and was asked to read the poem for an online evangelism conference. I trust it will impact you as it did me. | ||
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