Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries
"Cancel That Reservation"
Jul. 15, 2018
(Jesus said) "In My Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also."
~ John 14:2-3 (ESV)
During our years of traveling for The Lutheran Hour, Pam and I had the opportunity of staying at many wonderful hotels, and a few that were stinkers.
* For example, there was a hotel in Texas where black mold put the shower off limits. We would have gone elsewhere, but this hotel was the only hotel in a 50-mile radius.
* Then there was the hotel in Cairo where Pam picked up one of our towels and uncovered a cockroach which was approximately 2 ½ inches in length.
* Most notable was the hotel in Turkey where we were given a key to a room that was already occupied by another couple.
Thankfully, we never had to stay at the Birmingham Best Inn at Oldbury, Wolverhampton, England. TripAdvisor reports that the Birmingham Best Inn is listed as Britain's worst hotel. It has achieved this questionable status because it has received 303 one-star ratings. That means that more than 300 guests have said the hotel was terrible.
In their descriptions, some guests have said that the hotel is smelly, has broken furniture, features graffiti on some of the guestroom walls and ceilings. Others have shared their accommodations had mold, stained carpets, collapsing curtains, and dirty bed linen.
Truth be told, I know about another place which is far, far worse than the Birmingham Best Inn at Oldbury, Wolverhampton, England. Understand, I have never stayed there personally, but from what I've been told, those who do can expect to find a place where there is
* darkness filled with weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 22:13);
* a fiery furnace (see Matthew 13:41-42);
* a lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
There is no doubt the people who end up staying there will give the place an even worse review than the folks have bestowed upon the Birmingham Best Inn. Indeed, they will tell you, "If you can avoid staying here, you are well advised to go elsewhere." The problem is, at one time, there was nowhere else for humanity to go. Because of our numerous, unforgiven sins, everyone in the human race was destined to spend a very lengthy time in hell.
Now here's the good news: hell, the place I've been speaking about, is a very bad place, but because of Jesus Christ nobody ever has to stay there.
You see, Jesus has, with His perfect life, His fulfillment of the Law, His victory over death itself, has done all that was necessary to cancel humanity's reservation in hell. Now, with Holy Spirit-given faith in Jesus as Savior, forgiven souls are rescued and find they have been given a permanent reservation in heaven.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord for cancelling my reservation in hell, I give thanks. For preparing a home for me in heaven, I praise Your Name. Amen.
The above devotion was inspired by a number of sources, including one written by Richard Spillet for Daily Mail on July 5, 2018. Those who wish to reference that article may do so at the following link, which was fully functional at the time this devotion was written: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5920511/Britains-worst-hotel-gets-303-one-star-TripAdvisor-reviews.html
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
During our years of traveling for The Lutheran Hour, Pam and I had the opportunity of staying at many wonderful hotels, and a few that were stinkers.
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