Our overnight flight to Paris hadn’t afforded us much sleep, and though our 16 km trek through Paris on foot had been worthwhile, it had also been very tiring. We were sure glad to open the doors to our bedrooms in the little hotel near the Eiffel tower. We couldn’t wait to prepare ourselves for a well-deserved sleep.

Only one problem: The lights wouldn’t come on. We had read that this hotel had been recently modernized, and the thought had appealed to us. But now we couldn’t help but wonder if they hadn’t overdone it a bit … Just imagine, 2 reasonably intelligent, albeit tired, adults and 2 teens who know everything (if you don’t believe it, just ask them!), scurrying about, scrutinizing every corner of the rooms, trying every light switch, verifying every electrical plug, but to no avail. We were not rewarded with even the tiniest flicker of a light!

Help!!!!

It was when my adventuresome son and wife combined their intelligence that the mystery was finally solved. She found a credit card-shaped slot on the wall and wondered what it might be for, he put the key card into the slot, and voilà! (That’s French for “there you are”) Light! Without the card, the entire electrical system was dead, but once the card was in place, we had all the light we could have ever needed.

It’s actually a pretty neat way to save electricity. After all, you can’t leave your room without a room key! But not so neat when you don’t know about this device and all you can think of is sleep, sleep and more sleep!

We were now finally able to get ready for bed, but we didn’t realize that we needed a power converter to use the power bar we had brought with us from Canada. One loud “Zap”, and not only did we fry our power bar, but we also succeeded in blowing a circuit breaker. Once again we were in utter darkness, and our key card could no longer help us.

It took a phone call this time, but soon our lights were back up and running. Ouf! (That’s French for “relief”) I decided it was time to wash my hands, and I entered the ultra modern bathroom. The toilet was a two-flush kind, the see-through shower walls were extra sleek, and the wash basin looked like a flying saucer (Maybe we could play some Frisbee at night?).

There was a soap dispenser on the wall by the wash basin, but for some reason, it wasn’t cooperating. No matter what I tried, it would not dispense any soap. I pulled it, I pushed on the top, I pushed on the bottom, I slapped it, but to no avail. It wasn’t until I squeezed it in the middle that a blob of soap emerged. Enfin! (That’s French for “finally”)

And I thought we were technically advanced in North America!

While wondering about all of these wonderful technical advancements, the following text popped up in my head: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” (Rom 8:11NIV)

Just like bringing life to our lights was not possible without inserting our room key card into a slot, and just like we needed to have a converter to use our power bar, and just like I had to accept the “squeezing technique” to get soap from the bottle, I cannot be made alive without accepting God’s Holy Spirit as my sole guide in life. I not only have to invite Him into my life, but I must also give Him my driver’s seat. Only then will I become really alive, only then will I receive the assurance of my future resurrection. And just like the lights and the soap, once you have the right recipe for success, it works!

And for anyone wanting to stay in this ultra-modern little hotel, don’t worry about the hall lights. The hallway may be dark, but once you step in, the lights turn on automatically.

Hum. That sounds a bit like faith, doesn’t it?

Rob Chaffart

(To view the entire “La Vie en Rose” devotional series, please click here.)