Who Holds the Keys

Yesterday was interesting. The day began with a police officer at my door requesting that we "leash" our dog (apparently there's a law or something). Although shocked that anyone would make the effort to tame the beast that is "Millie", I agreed. Millie is an overweight beagle with short legs and torn ligaments. Even if she did "go after" someone...a quick skip would put said person far enough ahead that she would give up the chase. Funny.
Millie - Be Afraid. Be very afraid!

Next, I locked myself out of the house. Matt, who had been home for 18 days straight due to his recent job loss, was out of town. Of course he was. But here's the "glory lining": during my walk to retrieve keys from Matt's parents' home (1/2 mile away), God gave me this devotional. May it bless and challenge your heart as it did mine.

Who Holds the Keys

"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.”
Psalm 91:14

I am a door locker. If my family is leaving for the day, I am the one who makes sure everything is locked up. At night, the last thing I do is make my rounds to ensure all locks are secured. This has been my routine for so long, it has become instinctual: I lock the door without even knowing it. Normally, this routine is not a problem…unless my key is on the other side of the door.

When I blindly go through my “routine” and forget my key, the same dead bolt lock that offers so much security is the very thing that keeps me from getting where I want and need to be. In the same way, physical securities are not bad for us: job, insurance, health, family. However, if we lose sight of the True Key to our security, the very same blessings can become the barriers standing between where we are and where God wants us to be: in His presence.

Evaluate today your priorities. Is something standing in between you and your ability to give all to Christ? Has a recent job loss, sickness or lost relationship made you feel out of control? Our need to control our circumstances removes God from the throne of our lives. Take comfort knowing God is in control. If we give Him the keys, we will never be locked out.