To every one of us along our years there come opportunities, which, if accepted and improved, would fit us for worthy character, and for noble, useful living, and lead us in due time to places of honor and blessing.

But how many of us there are who reject these opportunities and lose the good they brought for us from God! Then one by one the doors are shut, cutting off the proffered favors while we go on unblessed.
There is another closing of doors which is even sadder than any of those which have been suggested.

There is a shutting of our own heart's door upon God himself.

He stands at our gate and knocks and there are many who never open to him at all, and many more who open the door but slightly.

The latter, while they may receive blessing, yet miss the fulness of divine revealing which would flood their souls with love; the former miss altogether the sweetest benediction of life.
"He that shuts Love out in turn shall be Shut out from Love, and on his threshhold lie Howling in outer darkness.