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I had finally arrived at the beautiful, Oceans Hotel in Atlantic City! A friend of a friend who had got me the room, helped me find my way to my room and by the time I had unpacked my luggage it was nearly 10:00 pm.
Feeling up for a late night adventure, I decided to put on my pajamas and take the elevator down to the lobby floor where the restaurants are located and order some food.
No sooner had I stepped into the elevator, when a very loud alarm went off.
“All guests must evacuate the building at this time, do not take the elevator, repeat evacuate the builiding, do not take the elevator .” A robotic voice echoed over and over.
My heart sunk in fear.
I was 20 floors up and already in an elevator.
Was this little two day vacation down the shore to be my demise??
Suddenly to my surprise, the elevator door opened to a group of very drunk people getting in.
“Do you guys know what’s going on?” I asked.
“No idea…” one of the men in the group replied shrugging his shoulder a taking a deep sip of the cocktail in his hand.
I shrugged back as if to share in their confusion and stepped out, not into the lobby but the massive casino floor!
The alarm was not only loud but it cast an eerie blue light over the entire floor. Despite all of this, people still sat unmoved at the slot machines, arms moving the levers up and down without pause.
I turn back to the elevator and decided to take my chances and get back in. But not before I hear a group of elderly ladies debating about the elevator.
“We better not get in!” one of them pipes up.
Wise ladies, I think as the elevator door shuts on me again. This time I make sure I press the one labeled: ‘Lobby’
The door opens and this time I see a security guard standing not far off.
Surely, he will know what is going on!
“Yeah, don’t ask me, I just started my shift…” the security guard said shrugging his shoulders. I wasn’t sure how to take his lack of alarm at the alarm??
Most of the hotel guests were wandering around in flip flops looking as confused as I was.
I made my way to the front desk and finally got my answer.
“It’s a false alarm.” The girl working the desk said with assurance.
With that, I decided not worry about it anymore. I trusted her authority on the the matter.
And even though the alarm was still going off, I ordered my meal in peace.
I can not help but think of this experience in spiritual terms.
According to the Scriptures we are born into this world spiritually dead: And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumsion of your flesh, God made alive together with him… part of Colossians 2:13
We are born wandering around this world estranged from God our Father. We are wandering around on various floors of the hotel of life so to speak.
Some of may be stuck on the ‘good moral people’ floor. This floor is full of people who might not feel any need for repentance or God’s forgiveness because they do ‘good works’ and because they consider themselves good by their own standards.
But the truth is: none of us will be judged by our own standards. We will all be judged some day by a Holy God’s standards: And I saw the dead, great, and small, standing before the throne and the books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. Revelation 20:12
Also there are many false religion floors in this hotel of life but there is only one truth as offensive as that may be…
Jesus says: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Also in this hotel are those trapped at the slot machine of their own personal bondage. Although they don’t want to, their sin keeps them pulling down that lever again and again: For when you were slaves of sin… part of Romans 6:20 The Scripture warns that our sins, while may be pleasant for a time will at last wrap around us in awful chains, seemingly impossible to break.
But Jesus came to break chains! So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36
There are so many scriptures regarding God breaking chains and bondage! I encourage anyone reading this to get a good old fashioned concordance and do a word study on those two words.
At any rate, the time is short! Our days are all numbered and death is not a false alarm, it is inevitable.
I encourage anyone reading this to take the time to consult the front desk of this hotel of life- The Bible.
The Bible is the authority given us by God that we might know the truth from lies. That we might heed the alarm and take refuge in the one and only Savior- The Lord Jesus Christ.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:1
Sweetness and Light 