Getting past the gate!

      Yes, the Torrey Pines golf course is absolutely breathtaking with it's constant views of the Pacific Ocean.  Even on a cloudy, almost foggy day, many of the holes seem to hang over the water.

     And yes, the sea lions are adorable--

     And yes, the magnificent blue waters crashing against the majestic sandy cliffs sings of the glory and power of God--

     Yes, yes, yes, all simply magnificent.
     But surely one of the most memorable sights from this trip for Preyer and me will be--

     That would be the gate to get in and of the parking lot for the Sheraton La Jolla.
     Yes, the parking lot gate.
     Because here's the thing--this gate truly would blow away any and all competition for the absolute worst parking gate in the history of mankind.  It almost never works.  Seriously.
     The very nice folks (and they are exceptionally nice) at the Sheraton front desk warned us when we checked in--
     "Use your room key to get and out of the parking lot."  Yes, you have to use the key not only to get in but also to get out...which is counter-intuitive. But I digress.
     The kind lady continued to explain: "If the room key doesn't work when you are trying to come into to the parking lot, just punch the button and get a parking ticket.  Then simply throw the ticket away. Don't worry about how many tickets you get--just throw them all away."  This is quite the interesting system.  Sounds a bit like the federal government.
     She went on: "When you are going out, if the key doesn't work--and it often doesn't--you just have to try to find someone in the front of the hotel to come help you get out."
     I am totally not kidding.  This is the way it works.
     All righty then, that sounds great.  And believe me, it works just as well as it sounds.  Preyer and I try multiple keys every time we go in or out.  They invariably do not work--although every once and while, the planets align and the key mysteriously works and raises the gate!  Alleluia!  But the other 99.9% of the time, we push the button, grab the parking ticket and throw it away.  So incredibly efficient.
     Leaving is proving to be more of a challenge since someone is often not available to come help us.  So we pray a lot.  This is surely improving our prayer life.
     But other than the parking gate that allows us to come and go to our hotel (such a minor thing, right?  After all, who needs to actually get to the hotel or leave the hotel), this place is beautiful and our trip has been so much fun.
     You know, it got me thinking...how often do I operate like that parking gate.  Just the other day I read in God's Word: "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb.4:16)
     What an offer!  Can we even find words for such a gift that the Sovereign King of the universe happily extends to us every single day?  We can come to Him--the Almighty Who has all the wisdom we need, all the power we need, all the grace we need, all the forgiveness we need, all the love we need--but we fail to come!    
     We're like that broken gate.  We might look great.  We might look like we're functioning just fine.  We might even have fooled ourselves that we can handle our problems on our own, thank you very much.  But we're missing out on so much peace, joy, love, strength, and wisdom, because we're failing to open the gate...and come and draw near to God.  We're refusing to open the gate of our busyness, our preoccupation, our pride, our self-sufficiency, or even our shame...and come and draw near to the throne of all mercy, grace and help.
     You know, if Preyer and I hadn't figured out a way to get past that dysfunctional gate, we would have sat in the parking lot and never seen the sea lions...or played golf (or in my case, watched golf)...or eaten great meals (Praise God!)...or walked and witnessed the astounding beauty of God's creation.  We had to get past the gate to experience any of it.  And we did--thank You Lord (although who knows about tomorrow--we may just take an ax to it).
     Oh might we put away our excuses.  Cast away our pride...or guilt...or discouragement...or fear...or preoccupation and simply draw near to the throne of grace.
     And guess what?  You don't need to draw near in some pitiful, frightened, namby pamby manner.  NO!  We come with confidence!  We come with confident hope and trust, because we are coming to our Abba, our Heavenly Father.  And we are coming based upon the perfect, sinless, blood of Christ who made a way for us.  Our Savior made the way to draw near and come straight to the very throne of heaven and earth.  Wow.
     Oh might we never miss another day of drawing near with joyful confidence to that throne of all grace, mercy, help, wisdom, power, and love.  Get rid of whatever gates are blocking your way and draw near today!   What a privilege--oh thank You thank You thank You, Father!
     To God be the glory.