The hotel reserved for us at the very end of our tour of Ireland added the final layer to our vacation cake and iced it perfectly. We felt a bit like the Clampets traipsing into such 5-star luxury. (Jethro and Ellie Mae of course! Not Jed and Granny. Just so we’re clear. :))
After a quick bite of lunch, I decided to go back to our room while Ron paid the check. Yes, I did get on the wrong elevator first, but getting lost doesn’t scare me anymore. I’ve gotten used to it. Now, I just choose to see it as an adventure.
Locating the correct elevator to take me to the right floor, I confidently pushed the button, and away I went. The 5-star elevator stopped silently without the slightest jolt. I waited for the doors to quietly open, and I waited … and waited … and waited.
Choosing to see this as an adventure, I tried to ignore that split-second thought of being trapped in an elevator and reducing to a skeleton while waiting to be rescued. My eyes scanned the digital display. Yes, I was on the right floor, but the doors wouldn’t open!
About that time, I heard a voice. It was an audible voice. I didn’t believe it was the Holy Spirit since He’s never really spoken to me quite like that. The voice timidly said, “Hello-o-o”. It was one of those sing-songy hellos people use when you’re doing something embarrassing, but haven’t realized it yet. My eyes widened as I turned completely around to see a little hotel employee with a cart standing on the other side of the doors that had opened behind me. Who knew there were two sets of doors! I’d been standing there staring at the closed doors while the way to freedom opened behind me. I smiled at the little fella, squeezed past his cart, and laughed out loud all the way to the room. When I walked in, Ron was there waiting. He knew me well enough to know that I’d gotten lost and would eventually find my way back.
After thinking about this episode, I realized what a perfect analogy it is for the way my life has been. Perhaps, it epitomizes your life too. We were born into a 5-star world created by God. Every turn offers wonders to behold.
Since I was born a daughter of Eve, I too had the desire to be godly, but found myself choosing religion rather than a relationship. I stepped into the box of religion hoping I could push all the right buttons to get me precisely where I wanted to go. However, no matter how hard I stared at those doors, I couldn’t escape the thought that I hadn’t done enough or been good enough to earn God’s favor. So, I decided to settle down in that religious box. I decorated it fervently with snapshots of good deeds, memorized verses, retreats, conferences, and Sunday school classes. Little did I know that with every snapshot Someone had always stood behind me whispering, “Hello-o-o”.
One day, I heard that sweet voice of Jesus and realized He didn’t want my religious outsides; he wanted to be my friend on the inside. Through a relationship with Him, good deeds and acts of kindness began to flow naturally and most often flowed to unexpected places most certainly not charted out by me! When I finally paid full attention, I realized He’d always been standing there with a cart full of blessings. I only needed to turn around and see Him!
Jesus’ words to the lukewarm Laodiceans in Revelation 3 ring true for us as well:
“See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Sunday is Easter. We celebrate the day Jesus walked out of His tomb and proclaimed freedom for each one of us. If you already have a relationship with Jesus, let Him help you focus on invigorating your relationships with your family and friends. It’s never a bad time to take His elevator to a brand-new level.
If you don’t yet know Jesus as your very best friend, what better day than Easter to listen to His voice, turn your life around, abandon your own path, and let Him lead you to a cartful of blessings too wonderful to imagine? God knows and loves you well. He sits patiently, waiting in the room He’s prepared for you. When your heart hears Jesus quietly say “Hello-o-o”, you just might laugh out loud all the way to your room.
This blog also appears today on Perfection Road. I’d be honored to have you subscribe to www.perfectionroad.com to read the rest of this series (Lessons from Ireland) and receive a fresh post every Tuesday morning. Perfection Road will inspire you to fill all your potholes with God’s perfection.
Donna Jackson
Lean into Jesus Ministries
www.perfectionroad.com
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