L is for LOCKED

I knew the moment the door slammed behind me, exactly where the house keys were. I could see them through the window. But we were all outside and they were not. I would have rung one of my sons on his mobile, except the eldest was only four and he hadn't , as yet, got his first mobile, mainly because nobody had got their first mobile. Also, despite numerous warnings that I might find myself in this exact situation, I hadn't left a house key with my parents, so the level of sympathy was not going to be extremely high. Still, they had a phone, so tail firmly between the legs, I trundled up the road, mumbled what had happened and made my escape into the hall to make contact with the outside world - our local joiner to be exact. He was over in a flash, not so much instant but more slowly exposed and after surveying the possibilities, decided that entry through a bedroom window, which he had made for the house, was more favourable, and more easily repaired, than breaking down the front door, which he had also made. In little time, we were inside, keys recovered, thankful appreciation given and received and the crisis was over.

A few latecomers were just settling into their pews, the choir and the minister having already taken up positions, when the door opened again and number one son arrived in my seat. This was a bit of a shock as I had been informed that the rest of the family were giving the Friday night Harvest service a miss in favour of a visit to the grandparents. But he wasn't for staying and didn't intend to leave on his own. 'I knew the moment the door slammed behind me,exactly where the house keys were. I could see them through the window,' she said. So could I, as this terrible sense of déjà vu crept over me. Yet I was even less prepared than before, for now every window had extra security locks and they had no intention of being persuaded to open. The fields were already ploughed and the seed scattered and the audience were being fed and watered by the time the soft refreshing rain encouraged us to come up with a solution.So I phoned a friend - our other local joiner, to be exact. He was over in a flash red van and after surveying the possibilities, decided that of our fifty-fifty options , a night in a tent was more favourable than breaking down the front door. Still, we didn't give up and not long before the breezes and the sunshine, we managed to 'fish' the keys, which had fallen near the door, through the letter box, thankful for all the good gifts around us, and a length of copper piping.

I often think of the precautions I had taken to ensure that my home was secure, to keep out those that would try to gain entry dishonestly and yet, because of a moment of carelessness, I had found myself on the wrong side of the door. Nor had I heeded the warnings and it happened again. I know that Satan is alive and well and always seeking to unlock our relationship with God and even when we feel at our safest, he is waiting to pick on our moments of weakness and try to put us outside God's love. But rest assured for ,' He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge.' (Proverbs 14:26). When we fear God, there is no need to fear Satan and the door will remain firmly locked.