Have you ever looked at your ring of keys? How many do you have? What doors do they unlock? Keys are very symbolic. They often represent different stages of our lives, and the things we have ownership over. I remember every year in college when I moved out at the end of the year, I always cried when I had to turn in my keys. There was something very tender about handing over the keys and surrendering the ability to enter a room and building I called home for an entire year. Maybe you have car keys on your ring, giving you control of where and when you get in the car and go. Maybe you do not. Perhaps these are keys you have already surrendered in life or never had at all. Do you have a house key, a key to an apartment or dorm room? These keys represent your own place to entertain, work, organize, and rest. What about keys for work? Do you have an office key, building key, and/or closet key? This is where you serve others and God. This is where you may find some of your life’s purpose and meaning. All throughout our lives, we have moments where we receive and surrender keys. All these moments represent new phases, new responsibilities, and new spaces to influence. In a few weeks, I will be surrendering over a set of keys. No doubt this will be a tender bittersweet moment. However, throughout our lives God calls us to close certain doors and sometimes even closes them for us. There are moments where they close slowly with a creeeeeek, and other times where the door slams shut before you know what is happening. Closing doors often involves emotions of grief, sorrow, lack of control, disappointment, and uncertainty. However, if you are at a door closing moment in your life, surrendering the keys to something or somewhere, remember this is not the end of the journey. It is just the end of a portion of the journey. No doubt you have had an impact and have been impacted. However, in these life moments it is time to relinquish control and comfort to trust God. You can probably guess where I am going next. When a door closes in our lives, somewhere a new door opens. Yes, I myself, am about to surrender a set of keys. However, I am picking up a new set as well. Just as there are moments when we must surrender a key or two, there are also moments when a new set of keys are handed over to us. In these moments we feel excitement, joy, nervousness, and uncertainty. If you find yourself with a new set of keys, lean in to the moment. You are about to embark on a new adventure. God has something new for you. God is leading you to give of yourself and share the love of the Lord in a new place and in a new and exciting way. Take those nerves and channel them into trust as you lean on God to show you the way!
Finally, as you examine your current ring of keys notice how each key is different. As we unlock the doors to new adventures, new places, and encounter new people and different spaces, remember you have keys for a reason. God needs you to open these doors and be in these places at this particular time in your journey. God has equipped you to lead here, to live here, to learn here, to grow here, to love here, and to allow Him to work through you here!
So go ahead, put the key in the lock, turn it, and go on in!
"Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me." (Revelation 3:20).