As part of the continuing remodeling of our church building, we faced an unusual situation last week. The large double doors of our “All Purpose” room had to be taken down and taken back to the shop so that new doors could be installed. Because of the size and age of the originals, it was not possible to just swap them for new doors―the new doors had to be custom made and custom fitted. That meant that there were no doors at all for many hours.

Since I was the only one at the building most of the day, and could not see the doors without getting up and walking down the hallway, I had an uneasy feeling all day. What if someone or something just decided to wander in? A thief could have emptied out that end of the building without me ever knowing he was there. Needless to say, I was glad when the doors were replaced and things were more secure. Of course, a thief can break in anytime, but at least he would have to go to some trouble now, and would more likely be noticed.

The situation reminded me of an incident in the life of Samson. Judges 16 tells how Samson went down to the Philistine city of Gaza to see a harlot, even though he knew that the Philistines were after him. “And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron” (Judges 16:2-3).

Although this removal of the city gates would at first seem to be little more than a practical joke, it was much more than that. When Samson took those gates away, the city of Gaza had lost one of its best defenses. It was extremely vulnerable without its gates. Later Gaza (with gates replaced) withstood a siege by Alexander the Great for two months. It could not have stopped Alexander for two hours without gates.

Our eyes and ears serve as doorways to our hearts. For that reason, we must make sure that in an evil world we maintain our defenses. If we are not careful, Satan will enter in and take residence before we know what has happened. Solomon warns, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 24:3).