In the Wrong Motel Room

Some  of you reading this know that my father in law died earlier this year.  All of us sorely miss him in so many ways.   He grew up on a tobacco farm in eastern NC and was a husband, father of five adult children, grandfather, great-grandfather, and retired land surveyor. J. Lawrence Blackley also was a master story teller and he had plenty of stories of tell over the course of his life.  All of his family find joy and comfort in these days telling stories he told or about his life.

During these hot summer days, many people in our area make a journey to the beach.  A couple of weeks ago,  we remembered a story of a time when my father in law was at the beach with his family.   While many folks make their way back to their lodging for the night when dark comes to the Carolina coast, my father in law would don his “party animal” hat and make  his way to a nearby business where he would shoot pool, tell stories, and talk to the clientele asking the family to leave the motel room door unlocked for him.  

After a night at that coastal establishment, Lawrence walked up the steps of the motel to the motel room.  Sure enough, the motel room door was unlocked.  Since everyone else was asleep, he made his way to the bathroom to prepare for a night of slumber.     As he brushed his tooth, he noticed some after shave lotion there that was not his brand.    Even though he knew it was not his, he splashed his face with it after finishing his bathroom tasks.   As he went to the bedroom, he was shocked to discover a woman laying in the bed that was not his wife.    Suddenly, he realized the truth that he was in the wrong place and that his room was on a different floor.  

In Luke 15, we hear a story about a boy that leaves home.    He spent the money his father had given as if there was no tomorrow.   And then there came a time when the money was gone and so were all the so-called friends who came near when the money was plentiful.    As my father in law suddenly realized he was in the wrong motel room, this boy realized he was in the wrong place.  That boy decided he needed to go home. 

You may have never gone in the wrong motel room on a family trip to the beach, but perhaps you have had times in your life when you knew you were in the wrong place.   Your behavior was not getting you anywhere.   Your habits had put you on the pathway to trouble.   Like my father in law one night long ago in a North Myrtle Beach motel room, know that you too can leave that place.  You can  go home to your heavenly Father who will not only leave the door open for you but who will  be waiting for you.    Have a joy-filled week.--  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:    O God,  thank you for your love for your wayward children.  Thank you for the truth that we can always turn around;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen.