Locked Out

One Thing Leads to Another

One particular weekend morning I woke up with only one thing in mind, I wanted to be somewhere and I wanted to get there quickly.  So, I downsized my hand bag, grabbed my car keys, left everyone behind, and drove off with my own car.  I was determined, I was not going to be late.

Later on, the same day, my husband and I were at restaurant eating lunch when he was called to work on an emergency.  We quickly finished our meal and headed on home.  He needed to change clothes and I needed to be dropped off.

  As we approached the house we noticed our garage door opener wasn't working.  Remember when I mentioned I had downsized my purse?  Well, in that quick and hasty decision, I left the only keys we had to our house in the bigger handbag.  My husband tried to see if there was an open window somewhere around the house.  Nothing! We were locked out.  When the locksmith arrived, three hours later, he said he couldn't trip the lock, we had to either drill the lock or break a window.  We decided on the former.  Yes, eventually, by 9pm we were in our house.

~ Reflections ~

As we stood outside our house, waiting, I thought about how the keys to unlock the door were so close, yet so far. Although I had a pair of keys, they were beyond my reach.   Similarly, I sometimes do the same things with my relationship with God.  I lock out the treasures He has for me.  In our life with Christ, if we dare to tell the truth, we probably would subscribe to automatic openers and gadgets that would allow us to reap benefits of convenience and still get to live out the purposes of God.  However, that's not the way it works in His house.  Often times we need access to joy, peace, kindness, goodness, grace, favor, discernment, wisdom and other wonderful gifts from the Lord, but we don't seem to be able to open the lock and let these in.  So how do we unlock these treasures?  

~ The Keys ~

~ A committed relationship with my Lord without excuses

~ Obedience to His word even when I don't particularly feel like obeying

~ A lifestyle of worship and devotion inside and outside church doors

~ A lifestyle of gratitude in good times and bad

~ Serving others even when it seems so hard

I have found that when I use these keys, I unlock all the amazing treasures the Lord has ordained for my life regardless of the circumstances and craziness that may surround me.  

~ Lessons Learned ~ 

* Never change handbags right before leaving your house.  

You will undoubtedly forget something important.

* Don't take a chance, always have more than one key to your front door.  (This one might seem obvious,but apparently it wasn't for me.)

* Nothing is hopeless with God.  If we have put away the keys of commitment, obedience, devotion, gratitude and service, use your keys.  No locksmith needed.

"Yet he gave a command to the skies above and
opened the doors of the heavens."
Psalm 78:23