The Man With the Golden Key

A shortish stubby man with a Hawaiian cut shirt with Indian style print, a modern fedora hat, and dark blues brothers ray-ban like shades on, enters the coffeehouse to which I find myself trying to get away to think on life, art, and God – not in that order.

Perched from above in a loft where I do my thinking, I glare down where my eyes catch hold of a large golden key around his neck. My curiosity was peeked. What might this key be used for? As I untangled the possibilities the thought hit me…what if we all had a golden key? The key represented our destiny, our purpose and our dreams. We would all go around trying different doors and locks to see if it fits.

…Isn’t this really the key to happiness, safety, and peace? Haven’t we all been given this golden key already? Don’t we call this key God’s will?

Then how come we find it hard to use? Many of us, myself included, have been trying to cram it into a beautiful door we call self-will or self-fulfillment. It sounds “new-age” doesn’t it? Well it is. I know Apple has made the emphasis on “I” so important that it has become hard to not see it any other way. There is…God’s way.

A friend of mine was seeking direction for something very important in their spiritual life. He had found himself in limbo without an answer for almost two years. Though the answer seemed clear to others around him, he could not accept the answer. He was looking for a “burning bush” experience. Finally after deciding to “really pray” and fast about it did God seem to speak softly and clearly. We often don’t really want to pray for some things do we, because that might mean God’s answer for us is the very thing “we” don’t want to do. It might require a sacrifice. Isn’t it easier to just say God hasn’t given me direction or God is not speaking? My friend noted he did not get peace about his decision until After he was obedient to the voice of God. Peace comes when we listen to God and trust him for the outcome. In hindsight we often look back and see how God's way was best all along.  

Interesting the Bible talks about a key that Jesus holds (The golden key?). In John’s letter to the church in Philadelphia

Rev. 3: 7-8, …these are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut…

Kings were given keys as symbols of sovereign authority. The “key of David” is the key over royal riches: divine treasury, the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of salvation. Jesus holds all authority; he decides who gets in and who is shut out. And who is blessed and who is not. He opens and closes its riches to everyone.  

The thing you want may not be what God wants for you. Are you willing to “Really” pray God’s will and then be satisfied with the answer even if it is inconvenient? It is in the acceptance and trust of God’s will that we truly find peace.

What if we just simply took our golden key and opened our hearts to Him – imagine the discoveries.