My tan is fading. Bummer. My memory is still sharp though and I have a great memory from my cruise. Let me tell about it, alright? =-)

People had told me that you could eat anytime you wanted to while cruising. Really? Anytime? Yes. You could get food literally, anytime of the day or night. My wife and I met some friends on the ship. We ended up hanging out with them most of the week. Around 11:30 or midnight, we would find ourselves at the Cafe Promenade. Pizza. Yep, right out of the oven. Hot pizza. There were desserts and sandwiches as well. But I liked the pizza. It is a lasting memory for me.

So it is true. You can get food 24/7 on a cruise ship. Wow.

Let me rephrase that last statement. A person has access to food 24/7 on a cruise ship.

That word, access, caught my attention.

Along with food on a cruise ship, there is something else that we have access to 24/7.

The book of Hebrews is one of my favorite books. There are two specific verses that I want to point out. They are both in chapter 9.

Hebrews 9:7, “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.”

and then verse 12, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

The book of Hebrews is filled with comparison. In this instance, Christ is being compared to the High Priest of the Old Testament. Verse 7 is talking about the priest. The “he” in verse 12 refers to Christ.

• Every year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter the most holy place with animal’s blood to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. This was God’s way of bringing forgiveness to the people. Once a year.
• When Jesus was crucified, he took on the role of high priest. However, he did not enter the earthly temple. He entered the heavenly temple. But Jesus had his own blood to bring forgiveness. Once for all.

Do you see the difference? And what a difference it is! And because Jesus used his own blood and entered the heavenly temple, eternal redemption (forgiveness) can be obtained!

YOU AND I NOW HAVE ACCESS TO GOD. Complete, full, and unhindered access to God. We can be forgiven. Life can now be truly lived because of the access granted to us by Christ. Forgiveness for sins is already been paid for.

I just need to ask.

And being forgiven is far better than pizza at midnight at the Cafe Promenade on the Navigator of the Seas sailing in the Caribbean Sea.

Why don’t you try both and see which one you like better? Bon Voyage!