Prepare a Room

 "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"  

1 Corinthians 3:16

 

I am a little behind on my post, but I finished the devotional, "The Greatest Gift" by Ann Voskamp on Christmas morning. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I was especially moved by the reading on December 22 about being a dwelling place for God. 

After Christ's ascension, He sent His Spirit to those who had gathered in the upper room- as Christ had directed them. The Spirit of the Lord invaded that room and the hearts of those who were gathered there. And ever since, He does the same! When we allow Him, when we have prepared a room- a place in our hearts- for Him- He comes and invades us~dwells inside of us~lives inside of us~leads, guides and directs us~and speaks to us on a daily, continual basis. The author spoke about how we are God's dwelling place and to make sure that we always have room for Him to dwell in. It wasn't something that I didn't already realize and do my best to appropriate it to my daily living- but that day, it moved me to tears. In fact, I took the ornament which had a heart on it, and I put a chain on it and wore it around my neck, close to my heart for several days, to remind me that I needed to make sure I allowed Him plenty of room in my heart- my life-my day- for Him. The holidays have so much going on and it can be a real distraction from the most holy purpose of our celebration. Life can be one big distraction from Christ- so we must be vigilant to continue to make and keep room for Him.

The Lord has given me this verse for the coming year: John 3:30: "He must increase, but I must decrease". Easier said than done. But in order for Christ to increase in my life, I- must decrease- my own abilities, my own strengths- decrease me- and allow Him to increase in me- His presence- His Word- His spirit. How do I do that? It isn't reading the Bible and praying all day long or going to some monastery. It is in our every day, daily lives- the mundane details- the responsibilities which we all have. It is in the common everyday things of our lives- to allow Christ to be above it all, in it all, surround it all. It is bringing Christ into even the small ordinary circumstances of our lives.

Prepare a room for Him. As this year is in its final hours, let us commit this new year to doing just that. Prepare Him a room- our hearts- to dwell in. Allow Him to take precedence over every thought, every decision, every word- throughout the day. "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:6).  "Cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5) And if we have been allowing Him room, lets enlarge that room- give Him even more space, more of Him in our lives. Decrease- so He can increase.

Prepare Him a room. Prepare your hearts for Him in this new year. Cast out everything that offends Him or hinders Him from having full occupation of your heart. Pray and ask Him to show you what you may have to set aside- in order for Him to increase in your life. You and I will never be discouraged when we do this and God will begin to move and manifest His life to us and in us, in ways that we can't even imagine.

Prepare Him Room

Dear Father, as this year is at a close, may we all commit our hearts to you anew. May we offer You more, and even more room in our hearts, in our lives. Show us how we can do this practically, so that we can lean on You, trust You more- and show us more of Yourself- so that we can be that Light and Life to give to those around us. We pray all these things in Jesus' Name. Amen.

~Donna