Without Access

After a busy weekend, I come back to find I have no Internet access. Now I wasn't going to type out long theological tretises or exceding witty prose -- just wanted to check the email before I fell into bed. But I couldn't do it. And it bugged me. It wasn't so much that there was something I had to see on the web, as it was the fact that I couldn't do it if I did want to.

The problem is fixed now. I can finally check on my blog and everybody else's blog and google whatever I want this evening. But it was a weird feeling not being able to get on line from a location where I usually have no trouble.

Some friends told me about an experience they had at a racetrack. These guys have passes that let them go just about anywhere for all events except for one. At that event, they were shut out of places where they usually were welcomed with open arms. They were not happy about the whole affair. "It was like not being welcome in your own home," they told me.

Jesus told the story of the prodigal, or lost son. That young man realized his mistake and longed to be back where he belonged. There his father stood with open arms, waiting for the boy's return. Can you imagine what it would have been like if the father had turned the boy away without access to the places he used to go? Sure he would have deserved it, but that's not an accurate picture of our Heavenly Father. Jesus wanted to illustrate that the forgiveness of God is based on nothing more than our repentance. We are not cut off without access from our Father's grace.