Entrance to The Magic Castle, Club 33, and Hell!

"Sheol and Abandon lie open before the LORD, how much more human hearts."

(Proverbs 15:11)

I haven't ever lived life in the circles of the exclusive... but I've visited a few times! Occasionally. I've been invited into United Airlines' "Premiere Lounge" while traveling with a friend. I've been a guest (twice!) at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. I've even been to the ultra-exclusive Club 33 at Disneyland (yes, it was amazing!). Those places are great, but I rarely get to experience them.

Throughout literature (and movies), one of the more difficult places to "get in to" (at least as a visitor, not a permanent resident) is Hell - or the Land of the Dead. Greek mythology is full of stories of heroes needing to travel to the Underworld to complete some quest or another. But it's hard to do! That's why Proverbs 15:11 caught me off guard: "Sheol and Abandon lie open before the LORD, how much more human hearts."

Sheol and Abandon are names in the Old Testament for the dwelling place of the Dead. It's not exactly "Hell" as we portray it today - in fact, Sheol was simply a resting place when one died. No devil. No punishment. Just nothingness. But I love the idea that God can flash his ID, and he gets to waltz in to ANY place he desires - The Magic Castle, Club 33, even Hades! Nothing is off limits for him.

"How much more human hearts..." says the author of Proverbs. Wow. We like to think we have a certain level of autonomy (or at least privacy), but God sees us - deeply and completely! God knows us. We're an open book to Him. So WHY do we try to hide (or act as if God doesn't know us)? Why not go with it? Why not open our hearts fully to Him - in all our joys, pains, struggles, weakness, and questions? Instead of playing "hide and seek" with God (which really isn't all its cracked up to be)... why not acknowledge that He knows us... ALL OF US... and seek God's guidance?

Besides... it's a "hell" of a lot cheaper than the dues for Club 33, too!