Inside Lock

In "What's so Great about Christianity, there is a reference to Hell - where God is eternally absent. Dinesh D'Souza states that the atheist rejects God and reluctantly God grants him his wish. "In a sense the gates of hell are locked from the inside."  The atheist locks God out from inside seemingly unable to leave.

G.S. (from Sunday Fellowship Small Group) quickly spoke up "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave." from the Eagles song Hotel California.  That song has had numerous interpretations and the writers have purposely been vague about it's origin other than the excesses of the music industry. Freely entering the pleasure dome ("This could be Heaven or this could be Hell") can result in an inability to leave it behind ("but you can never leave").   

Inside locks (usually dead bolts) are designed for an individual to be able to leave - but requires action.  But for every inside lock there is a outside perspective looking in.  A person knocking at the door awaiting your response.  But it takes a key (or action of unlocking) to open the door. 

Find the key. Check out. You can leave. Heaven can't wait.

"Light of the World" by William Holman Hunt  St. Paul's Cathedral London

PS.  No locks on this door. The door in the painting has no handle, and therefore can only be opened from the inside, representing the "Obstinately shut mind".  See Wikipedia : Light of the World