Monday, June 11, 2007

A New Set of Keys

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32 NIV)

Whether they open the door to a new car, home or office, what a pleasure it can be to receive a new set of keys. Christ here in Luke 12 had just handed over a new set of keys to all who were listening and paying attention. He told them the Father was pleased to give them the Kingdom. Whoa, back the truck up here. Did He say, “The Kingdom?” Yes, you heard right: the Kingdom, keys to a gated community handed to us with the access to the lock readily available.

The time had come to reveal this gift to us. “Here they are,” He says. “Don’t be afraid. Your Father is pleased to give you this.” How we receive this gift is now in our hands; we can be overjoyed or we can hand the keys back and tell Him, “No thanks, I don’t want it.”

Years ago when our daughter turned 16, we had a surprise birthday party where we gave her the keys to her first car. The last thing on her mind was not accepting her new set of keys by saying, “No, thanks. I don’t want the responsibility of having the keys to a car.” As expected, without hesitation she took the keys and the responsibility that came with them. We need to do the same with what our Heavenly Father has to offer us.

In Matthew 16:19, we read where Peter also was given the keys to the Kingdom. After giving Jesus the correct answer about who exactly Christ was, Jesus told him he was “part of the rock” that He was going to build His Church upon. Next, He informs him that whatever you bind on earth will be bound in Heaven; that was a similar statement to what He said to them in Luke 12 about seeking His Kingdom first, even if it took selling all they had in order to store for themselves treasures in Heaven.

The door or the gate is Jesus, and we hold the ability to open that right of entry or close it in our faces – all by the choices we make and our attitudes toward this newfound treasure. The door handle with the lock in it is on our side. We might try similar openings to attempt to get into Heaven; but like trying to get into a car in a parking lot, though a car might look like ours, the keys won’t work unless it is truly the right car.

Praise the Lord, we have the right entrance, the right key to get in” Jesus Christ. Instead of foolishly tossing Him aside, getting caught on the outside looking in, let us take Him up on His offer and swing wide the door that will lead us on a journey that beats all journeys – to that custom-made destination resort called Heaven.

Dear Heavenly Father, thanks so much for trusting us with our own set of keys. Like the key we might get from work that says, “Do NOT duplicate,” Your key cannot be duplicated, either. Yet it is something everyone has access to in order for all to be saved. Praise You, Father God, for not wanting any of us to perish. May we share that similar belief as we take the responsibility that comes with our new set of keys. Amen.

© 2007 by Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing

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