As Johnathan rolled back his desk chair, he scratched his head. "Lord, I'm getting no where fast. I felt sure of what you wanted me to tell your people, but now I can't seem to put this together." He was sure that God had been speaking to him about striving to enter in. God had really been focusing on the lost in the church lately. But now, Johnathan was at a loss. Something just did not want to come together. He had spent hours praying and searching the scriptures. So far, he had worked up a hunger, a thirst, and a migraine, but no sermon.
"I know what I need he thought aloud, as he rubbed his temples. I just need a break. I'll go see Abbey, eat a sandwich, and drink a soda." He was up from his chair, out the door, and half way home before he realized that Abbey was not home. She had gone out for the day with some of the ladies from their church. He even remembered that he had suggested that they eat dinner out so that she would not have to rush home and cook for him. His heart sank at the reminder. Eating lunch alone would be no picnic, but it was to be only the first of other disappointments.
As he reached for the door knob, he realized he had left the keys on his office desk. They were right where he had laid them, after unlocking the office door. Ordinarily they never locked any of the doors to the church, but there had been a rash of burglaries in the area lately. He felt that God would protect them, but to keep peace and to calm the nerves of the deacons, he had promised to keep house and church locked for a while.
"Lord , what a day. I really need your help. No wife, no lunch , no soda, no aspirin, and no God." he sighed. So he set out to find his own way into the house or the church.
He searched every window, and checked every door on the ground floor of the church and the house. They were all locked down tighter than a hat band. "I knew better than to listen to those guys. Church doors had always been left unlocked for a reason, so that people could get in! He looked up to see a small bathroom window open just a crack. "Alright! I'm finally going to get in. Now all I have to do is to get the ladder out of the shed and we are in business. What a lot of trouble to go to just to get into my own house," he muttered to himself. Johnathan searched the shed over for the ladder, to no avail. Apparently someone had borrowed it. Finally with all thoughts of getting in the house or the church diminished a frustrated Johnathan decided to make the best of a bad situation. He was just thankful that he chosen not to wear a suit and tie to the office this morning. His golf shirt, jeans, and sneakers were much cooler and more comfortable in this hot and humid weather.
He sat down in a lawn chair on his new deck and began to reflect on his day. He was sure that he heard the phone ring. It probably was Abbey calling to make sure that he had found his lunch ok. He felt sure that she had probably called the church and the cell phone {which of course was also on the desk at the office beside his keys} also. He knew that she would be worried if she could not reach him somewhere soon. If only we had a neighbor close by, he thought. "Lord please help her not to worry or to ruin her afternoon."
He spotted the water hose. " I can at least quench my thirst," he told himself. He turned on the water and let it run for quite a while, until it was as cool as it could be. He drank from the hose until he was well watered inside and out. He smiled at himself. Drinking from a hose had been an art that he had acquired as a child, but had not used for quite a while so it took a few minutes to get the hang of it again. " Lord you know this may not be so bad after all. I my not get my belly filled or my sermon done, but at least I have an excuse to relax and enjoy all the thing You have done. "He laid down in is hammock and began to rub his temples. His headache was beginning to subside without the usual pain killers. Maybe all he needed was a break and a new prospective.
Johnathan lay in his hammock thanking God for all the blessings that He had given him. He began to thank God for all the faithful families in the church. He loved them, but some how he realized it had been a while since he had gone to God on their behalf. The more he called them by name the more he realized just how much he really did love them. The more love he felt for them the more blessed he became. Before he knew it, he was singing "Loving God loving each other." The dam broke and his eyes filled with tears. With tears streaming down his cheeks he laid face down on the deck. He had entered the kingdom. He was very aware of the presence of God. He had found the key. LOVE! Loving God and loving others was the key to entering the throne of God. We may strive to enter in, but Jesus brings the key on wings of love. To go in and out of His presence it takes love.
1 Pet 1:21-22
21. Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.
22. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying
the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that
ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
I Jn 4:11
11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
12. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
He was not sure how long he lay on his stomach praising God, but he knew he was suddenly very tired. He climbed into his hammock, and with a smile on his face and a song in his heart, he closed his eyes. He was very full and satisfied.
"Honey-Johnathan, wake up, sweetheart. Why are you napping outside in this humid weather? I thought you were going to be working on your sermon all afternoon. What have you been doing?" He could hear someone say. He felt something shaking his arm gently. He opened his eyes to see Abbey standing over him. He reached up and pulled her down to him in the hammock.
She lay beside him . Wrapped in his arms, he recalled his day for her. He told her of his struggle over the sermon, and how he locked himself out. He told her of all his attempts to get in, and how they had failed. He told her how he had met with God, and how in just a few minutes he had lived the sermon that he had been struggling over for hours.
"That is wonderful. But why didn't you just get the key from over the door facing inside the shed, where you put it, and unlock the door."
Johnathan raised up looking a little sheepish,
and kissed Abbey. I am suddenly very hungry, let's go get something to
eat.
- Kate Fuqua