And then I didn’t. I mean, I forgot to unlock it the next morning. The evening of the next day after working at my desk all day and not going anywhere, I decided to go check the mail box. (You know where this is going, right?) I closed the door between the laundry room/garage behind me, going out of the garage to the street. When I returned, opps. I’d forgotten that you can get out of the locked door but you can’t get in. I leaned my head against the door and knew I was in big trouble.
Why hadn’t we followed through on that idea to put a key someplace in the yard?
Why hadn’t we given one of our neighbors a key to our house?
Why is Larry two states away when I need him?
What should I do, Lord?
Then I remembered. Months before, we had returned from a trip, our friend picked us up at the airport, and as we’re driving home it dawns on us: in our hurry, we forgot to bring the key or the garage door opener when we left. We’d had family staying at our house when we left and they locked the door when they left.
Opps. What to do?
Larry knew what to do: take the screen off the bedroom window, open the window, and crawl in–because we don’t keep that window locked. (Now that I’ve confessed this, don’t worry, we’re locking it!)
So that evening, I went to work. I did the same thing.
As I thought of my little adventure, (thank you Lord that I didn’t have to call a locksmith on a Friday night), I remembered Romans 15:4 “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
How do we learn and change? We remember what was written or what happened in earlier times and we make changes. When we’re tempted, we remember God’s promises like He will provide everything we need for righteousness (2 Peter 1:3-4). And when people criticize us without reason, we remember who we are in Christ (Ephesians 1). And when we’re feeling hopeless, we remember our destiny is secure in heaven (Revelation).
And we make plans to avert temptations and challenges: sorta like hiding a key in the yard. Don’t worry, you’ll never find it. And giving a key to our neighbor.
What are you going through and what do you need to remember? Whatever you need is written in earlier times in the Scriptures. There is hope!