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Wrong
Room
On
June 6, 1981, Doug Whitt and his new bride, Sylvia,
were escorted into their hotel’s fancy bridal suite
in the wee hours of the morning. In the room they saw
a sofa, chairs, and table, but no bed. Then they
discovered the sofa was a hide-a-bed, with a lumpy
mattress and sagging springs.
After
a fitful night’s sleep they woke up in the morning
with sore backs. The new husband went to the hotel
desk and gave the management a tongue-lashing.
"Did
you open the door in the room?"
asked the clerk.
Doug
went back to the room. He opened the door they had
thought was a closet.
And there, complete with fruit baskets and chocolates,
was a beautiful
bedroom! *
How
often WE miss out on life’s greatest blessings
because we are looking
in “the wrong room.”
We often look for happiness and fulfillment in
the world.
But, we’re looking in the wrong place!
The
world offers many pleasures... Some are
acceptable to God and some are not. A beautiful
sunset, the majesty of mountains, brightly colored
flowers, inspiring music, etc. are great blessings to
man. But some are sinful in God's sight.
These are the "pleasures" of which John
writes:
“Do
not love the world or the things in the world. If
anyone loves the world, the love
of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the
world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of
the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust
of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever”
(1 John 2:15-17).
The greatest blessings in life – things like peace, love, forgiveness,
and hope -- are NOT found in the world; they are found in Christ!
“Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the
heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians
1:3).
And Jesus is the DOOR through which we must enter to receive these truly great and lasting
blessings (John 10:7-9).
Jesus said, “I
am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Our
SIN is that barrier that keeps us from the abundant
life now and eternal life to come.
But Jesus died on the cross as payment for
our sins (Ephesians 1:7).
If we will submit our lives to Him in faith
(Acts 16:30-31), repentance
(Acts
17:30-31), confession
(Romans 10:9-10), and baptism
(immersion) in His name (Acts 2:38), then our sins are
washed away by His blood and we are found in Christ,
where all spiritual blessings are enjoyed!
And, if we will live faithfully to Him, He will
lead us to eternal life (1 John 1:7)!
Have
YOU been looking in the
wrong room? Enter
through the Door of Life on God’s terms and you’ll
find, by God’s grace, the greatest blessings of all.
Won’t
you?
--
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church
of Christ at Creekwood
1901
Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* As told by Leland Botzet
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