The Parking Garage

I do not like parking garages.
I like the concept of them.
I appreciate that they keep me out of the weather.
I just do not like the feeling I get when I drive in one.

Some parking garages are fine.
Some parking garages have very low ceilings.
They are the ones that bother me.
Though I am not textbook claustrophobic, I do not always like closed spaces.

I think my dislike of parking garages goes back to when I took care of my aunt.
She was in one of the major hospitals in the city.
I took all five of my children in to visit her.
I was driving a large Suburban at the time.

I enjoyed driving my Suburban.
I liked being high off the ground.
I liked that the car was almost like a truck.
It was big and heavy and I always felt safe as I drove on the expressway.

Until I had to park in the hospital parking garage.
There were no available spaces on the lower levels.
I had to keep driving up from one level to the next until I found an available space.
I weaved my Suburban around the narrow ramps, parking where we could look over the city.

I tried to keep my apprehension to myself.
I prayed with every turn.
Once we parked, I smiled and got everyone ready to go into the hospital.
I was fine until someone said, That was fun! Now we get to go down again!

I had to enter a parking garage recently.
I was picking up my mother-of-the-bride dress for my daughter’s wedding this summer.
I was grateful to park in the garage since it was raining.
I drove in and noticed the incredibly low ceiling.

I knew the store entrance that would be the closest to the dress department.
I parked in an area I had parked in once before.
I got out and realized that I would have to walk up a flight of stairs.
The dress department was on the second floor.

Next to an elevator, that I did not take, was a directory sign that I had never seen before.
A large gold star announced, You are here.
Except here was very odd.
Here was at the West entrance, which I knew.

What I didn’t know was that I had parked between floors.
The directory sign said Level 2 across the top.
The directory sign said Level 1 across the bottom.
It was my location in the middle that intrigued me.

My location, was the sign with the large gold star.
My location that was between Level 1 and Level 2.
My location made me feel as if I was boarding the train for Hogwarts at Platform 9 ¾.
My location was Level 1 ½.

I actually laughed out loud.
I had never seen anything like that before.
I had to go up a flight of stairs to get to Level 2.
I was parked in between floors at the halfway mark.

I smiled all the way up the stairs.
I was still smiling as I entered the store.
Level 1 ½.
Who would have guessed?

To the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy gold from Me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness, and salve to put on your eyes so you can see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:14-22)

Jesus despises lukewarm faith.
Jesus wants us to be either hot or cold, one or the other.
Jesus has strong words for those who are lukewarm.
He says He will spit them out of His mouth.

Lukewarm.
Not hot.
Not cold.
Lukewarm is somewhere in the middle.

Lukewarm is Level 1 ½.
Lukewarm is in between floors.
Lukewarm is safe.
Lukewarm is fence sitting.

There is no fence sitting in God’s Kingdom.
You are either one side or the other.
You cannot take Jesus lightly.
You cannot take Him or leave Him.

You cannot stay on Level 1 ½.
You cannot remain lukewarm.
You are here, the gold star points out.
Where is here?

I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.