An ice storm came through this past week and left our
two vehicles encased in what appeared to be solid lead crystal. Which, although
it looked beautiful, would stop Cathy and I from being able to use the vehicles
to drive to work.
Since I was aware that the storm was coming, I
arose early to allow enough time (and elbow grease) to remove the results of
freezing rain. When I went outside, I discovered that one to two inches of snow
had fallen on top of the vehicles already encased in ice.
It took me about 30 minutes to remove all the snow
and scrape off everything.
My next task was to open the doors so that I could
gain entrance to be able to start the vehicles and warm them up prior to
departure.
Our car opened immediately when I used the remote
control to open the door locks. I was happy and proceeded on to our pickup
truck.
The key unlocked the doors immediately on the first
attempt; or at least I thought that they had opened…because when I went to lift
the door handle I had no success in opening the truck door.
‘No big deal’, I thought, I would simply pound on
each of the doors and coax it them open; which I did and then tried the door
handles again…with no success.
‘No big deal’, I thought, I would simply pound once
again on the door and coax it to open; which I did and then tried the door
handles again…again with no success.
‘No big deal’, I thought, I would simply go into my
shop, get a rubber mallet and use it to pound on the door and coax it to open;
which I did and then tried the door handles again…with no success.
‘No big deal’, I thought, I would simply go into my
shop, get a small flat pry bar and use it to gently pry on the door and coax it
to open; which I did (along with using the rubber mallet) and then tried the
door handles again…with no success.
‘No big deal’, I thought, I would simply continue
to gently pry on the door and coax it to open; which I did (along with using
the rubber mallet) and then tried the door handles again…with no success.
Each time I would alternate between the driver side
and the passenger side repeating the attempts to get inside.
As I was using the pry bar I noticed through the
passenger window that the lock button was down, not up; indicating that this
door was locked.
I took my key, inserted it into the lockset, turned
it, and the button popped up. I immediately lifted the door handle, and the
door opened!
I quickly went to the driver’s side and did the
same procedure and that door opened as well!
As I pondered what had just taken place I concluded
that, although we normally lock our vehicles, they were instead NOT LOCKED when
I first went to get inside.
My attempts were stopped not because they were
frozen, but because I had LOCKED the doors rather than unlocking them as I had
assumed.
And it would help to turn the key the right way!
Those who read my blog know that somehow through
this mistake I will still draw a spiritual truth to post for the readers’
consideration. So here I go…
Salvation is a free gift for anyone who will call
upon the Name of the LORD. BUT you can’t get in without turning the key the
right way.
No, it is not a formula of using the antiquated
words or an old form of English.
No, you don’t have to wonder whether your hands
should be folded with fingers up or whether they should be interlocked making
sure that your hands are in some carefully formatted position.
No, you don’t have to be at special location or be
in a special position to receive the gift of salvation from Jesus.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6
NKJV).
He is the ONLY way to come to salvation. He alone
paid the price with His death, burial, and resurrection. In other words; it does help to turn the key the right way!
We humans will always try to formulate and script
our own methods to into heaven; as though it was up to us to decide how things
are to be done. Even if we can formulate the perfect plan (have the right key),
it still helps if you turn the key the right way!
The Bible says; “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12
NKJV) and “There’s a way that looks harmless enough; look again—it leads straight to hell.” (Proverbs
16:25 MSG)
All our own efforts will always leave us banging
on a door that will not open even though we have a key in our hands.
No, the door will only open when it is the same
door at which Jesus stands knocking. Then and only then will we be able to
enter in.
Jesus said; “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My
voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with
Me.” (Revelation 3:20)
“Enter by
the narrow gate; for
wide is the gate and
broad is the way that
leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the
gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find
it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV)
NKJV Scripture
taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used
by permission. All rights reserved.
The
Message (MSG) Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
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