With All of Our Being - Love God

Door posts in different parts of the world are ornately decorated according to different cultures and traditions.

The most striking ones are found in Chinese houses. One example is this elaborately carved and painted door which fronts the Hokkien Huay Kwan Association along Jonkers’ Street, Malacca.

The two large warrior figures, Qin and Yuchi are known as 'door gods'. Door gods are supposed to keep evil spirits from entering the premises. This custom originated during the Tang Dynasty (618- 907 AD).

Two Tang generals, Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde were ordered by the emperor to guard the door of his bedroom chamber. Apparently, a ghost was harassing the emperor, causing him to have sleepless nights. With Qin and Yuchi on guard, the emperor had a blissful sleep. The next day, the emperor, not wanting to trouble his two generals, ordered their portraits to be hung on either side of the door. Qin Shubao, who is most often seen carrying swords, has very pale skin (often depicted as red), while Yuchi Jingde has much darker skin and wields one or several batons.

To celebrate Christmas, Christian families would hang Christmas wreaths on their doors. This practice  dates back to the Lutherans in Germany in the 16th century. In 1839, Johann Hinrich Wichern used a wreath made from a cartwheel to educate children about the meaning and purpose of Christmas, as well as to help them count its approach. For every Sunday of Advent he would put a white candle in the wreath and for every day in between he would use a red candle. The wreath is constructed of evergreens to represent everlasting life brought through Jesus and the circular shape of the wreath represents God himself, with no beginning and no end.

Another traditional door decoration is that of the Jewish ‘mezuzah’. This is a piece of parchment (often contained in a decorative case) inscribed with specified verses comprising the Jewish prayer "Shema Yisrael". The mezuzah is fixed at a 45 degree angle on the doorpost. The practice of hanging the mezuzah originates from the Deuteronomy 6:4-9,

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates”.

Rather than add another decoration to our front door, it would serve us better to live out exactly what the scriptures have directed, that is, to love God with everything we have; indeed with all of our being. By this, we will be sure to transfer this special and distinctive relationship to our children who in turn will transmit the same value through successive generations. It will become a family inheritance. This is the key to family happiness, security and well being. What other protection will we need?
 
Let this be your New "2011" Year resolution - to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength.

Lionel