Access

I think I was 22 when standing on the porch of the house my wife and I were renting, wondered how I was going to get in given the fact I had no key. Crystal had left on an errand and I had been working on our car in the garage and apparently she thought ... and I thought ... and you know how it goes, you get locked out.

And so, I did what any respectable young man would do [by the way this was before cell phones] I found an unlocked window and crawled in. The funny thing was, that try as I might the key to the house could not be found. Frustrated I put my hands on my hips only to feel the key ring hanging out of my back pocket.

I had the key with me the whole time. But busyness, frustration and hurriedness caused momentary loss of memory.

Once, not too long ago, I locked my keys in the car. Ever notice when someone locks their keys in the car, they press their face against the glass looking at the keys on the seat or hanging in the ignition? Its as if we're saying; 'so close, but yet so far away.'

"The key will be under the mat". Ever plan on going to see an apartment or a building you want to rent and being told how to gain access, you arrive only to realize the key holder had not left a key ... access denied.

There are people all around you everyday who live lives represented in these examples.

People who have the key already with them, but have forgotten where it is. People who once had the key but are unable to immediately retrieve it. And people who have been told where the key is only to find its not there.

People are locked out!

Most people don't immediately ask for help when things start going wrong. We wait. Try to figure it out on our own. It's admirable right up until the minute you realize you're better off inviting and receiving assistance.

There are two things you and I can do this week:
1. Ask for help.
We all lose our way from time to time. It's Godly to invite assistance. The good you will do in others by letting them help you, will far out way the help they offer.

2. Be on the look out for the locked out.
People all around you need you. They've lost their keys, or worse yet have them but have let the hurriedness of life cause loss of memory.

Being a Christ follower is about access.

You who have experienced the inside warmth of access, please don't forget there are others with their faces pressed against the glass. Some have the key, some can see the key and others wouldn't know the key if you hit them with it.

Here's today's question: 'In what ways will I experience access this week?'

Dan
A Runner