The Balcony

We recently took a family trip to San Diego for spring break. What a great city! There was so much to see and do. There was no way we were going to get around to it all. I don't know how it works in your family but in the Archie house, when we take a family vaca, mom plays cruise director.

This means I...
* Research desired destination
* Purchase tour books and study, study, study
* Develop daily vacation schedule
* Pack three kids and myself (which means laundry)
* Print directions, make hotel concierge my new best friend, and so on

Whew! Are we there yet?! For the most part, family vacations are more like business trips for me (as Claire from Modern Family would say) but I'm kind of a freak and I like it.

When we arrived in San Diego at 9am (very early flight!), we went to the hotel to drop off our bags before heading out to Coronado Beach. Upon arrival at the Sheraton, the manager said he was so sorry our rooms weren't ready but he had a VIP suite available that he'd like to put us in. WHAT?! We thought this guy was off his geezer, but who are we to argue?

The bell boy takes us to the top floor where we have two adjoining rooms. We walk into the room that sits on the corner of the hotel to find a set of double glass doors leading to a balcony. The bell boy opens the doors and waves us over to see our enormous patio. This thing was HUGE. It had to be at least 50 x 60 feet. Did I mention it overlooked the marina?

When we first saw this massive party area we were stunned. How could all of this be ours alone? Didn't we have to share it? It was too big of a space for just our family. What gives?

The funny thing was, we ended up hardly using our beautiful balcony at all. We were busy keeping our schedule. There was so much to see and do. We didn't take the time to sit on the balcony and take it all in.

There's a little book, in the very back of the Old Testament, called Haggai. In chapter 1, verses 5-6 it says, "Consider your ways! You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."

God is saying His people are chasing hard after things that don't satisfy. What a waste! Only God can fill our deepest desires and needs. Does this sound like anyone you know? God has made every spiritual blessing available. His free gifts of grace are like the VIP suite with the massive balcony. It's all right here but are we seeing it or are we too busy keeping our schedules, building our houses, shopping for clothes, and worrying about work and money?

Psalm 46:10 is the salve for our weary souls, "Cease striving and know that I am God." Will you stop today and rest in God's promises for provision instead of chasing temporal things? Will you consider the eternal things God has to offer?

Next time somebody sticks me in the VIP suite and I have the chance to sit on a beautiful balcony, you can bet I'll be tossing the schedule, kickin' back and enjoying the view.