Making Room

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 that person, and they with me. – Rev. 3:20 (NIV)

Our Garage is a mess…There are all kinds of things in there, luggage that needs to go up into the rafters, some of the kids old things they’d like to save are scattered throughout the space, bikes, my canning supplies are spread out for the summer,  there are tools and tool boxes.   It’s all important stuff, but the mess prevents me from putting in there the one thing a garage was designed for – my car! What I want in there is my car.  As I was in conversation with a friend this week it dawned on me how well this depicts my inner life with Christ.

There is a garage in me that needs cleaning at times.  I can clutter my heart space with many things and crowd God right out.  There are a lot of reasons I do this, really.  I hang on to things that should get stored up in the rafters but I don’t really want to do the work of getting them up there.  I hang on to things that I think down the road will be beneficial but I don’t really spend the time investing in them to actually make it so.  There are things that really ought to be thrown away but, in a strange and broken way; I rather enjoy the comfort of having them around.  Sometimes I just don’t want to feel the loss of letting something go.

The problem is that, while it may be easier to neglect my heart-garage, it prevents me from having within me what I was designed for – God!  All the boxes of treasured items get in the way.  How can He fit when the space has been filled with so many other things?  I need to make room for Him.  I neglect my heart-garage because cleaning can be so overwhelming.  Just like with a real garage, I say things like, “What do I do with this?  It’s too messy and there’s so much stuff.  Don’t open the door to the street its embarrassing!"  Then I wonder if the venture is even possible.  Well it is... and it is worth the work!

The truth is, if I really desire for Christ to dwell in me, I have to deal with the things that keep him out.  The next few blog posts will deal with just that. It's interesting that Revelation 3:20 was an invitation to the religious to let Christ in.  There's a challenge for us!

Lord, I confess my cluttered heart.  Help me open the door to you and show me the things that have taken up space and keep your presence from being fully realized. Please dwell in me as you see fit.  I am yours.