“Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.” Proverbs 17:13

This last weekend I stayed in a hotel in California. Not really knowing the best way to get a flight, car and hotel, I trusted the folks at Travelocity to help me. I assumed they are successful because they do a good job. And they did. The flight, car and hotel were awesome… for the most part. Though I had to laugh when I tried to leave the hotel parking lot.

Fine print can be dangerous. The hotel was ritzy, and as I stood in the huge foyer with mouth agape, I received my first shock? Parking my car was $36 a day if I wanted valet. If I parked around back myself, it was $28 a day! Pulling around back.. hee hee, I was required to swipe my hotel card key to raise the arm to park. When I was in a hurry to leave, I pulled up to arm… and nothing happened! I busted out laughing when I caught the significance. I had to swipe my hotel card to get OUT!

The song ‘Hotel California’ has a line the says, “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave!” It’s a great line. But some parking lot designing fool took it too seriously. It should be OBVIOUS that to get IN.. I HAD to be legitimate! Therefore, getting out should be easy. But no…!! Frustrated by time, I had to search for my card to exit. Then I thought about hell!

Sin, evil and death are the street signs of our home. We are BORN into a realm that we cannot escape. Unfortunately, we become accustomed to the signs and think nothing of them. Until we try to leave. With no way of escape, death laughs as we search for a key that ONLY God has. It’s price costs BOTH of us… EVERYTHING!

God’s fine print is dangerous. Even lethal! To live we must die! To get we must give! To lead we must follow! To reign we must serve! The ONLY Way of escape is the ‘Jesus Card.’ Sadly, so few desire ‘His Way’ that it seems the devil himself is shocked when show him mine! The ONLY way to leave is ‘His Way.’ And His way can be rather strange!

Signs of Jesus People are there… to those who look. Giving instead of taking. Not repaying evil with evil. Loving those who hate. And sharing that Good News of escape with those who aren’t really looking! The arm of life is down, and the REAL question is, ‘do YOU have what it takes to truly leave?’