Ephesians 3:16–17
“I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.”
“I was saved by asking Jesus into my heart.” In many churches and evangelical circles, “Invite (or ask) Jesus into your heart” is an often-used evangelical phrase that can be rather confusing to those who are seeking God. In truth, those who utter those words may not have actually been saved if they are not expressing a true faith in Jesus. Others, like me, were saved because, when they asked Jesus into their heart, they knew Who Jesus is, placed their faith in Him, and trusted Him for their salvation.
The account of the two thieves dying on either side of Jesus reminds us that each one asked to be saved but only one was saved. One of them said, “IF you are the Christ, save me,” an indication of his unbelief. The other said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom;” he addressed Him as Lord, believing He was the Messiah. No matter who we are and what our salvation story is, not one of us was saved any differently than the dying thief who simply trusted Christ as his Savior. It’s not in the asking, it’s in the believing and the trusting.
Our verse for today states that “Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him.” So, what does it mean for Christ to make His home in our hearts? Again, it’s not in the asking, for we are not asking Him to come into our heart home like a guest. He is, in fact, the rightful owner and in trusting Him, we are moving out of the way for Him to take possession of all that is rightfully His—that He purchased with His blood.
How do we relinquish ownership of our hearts to Jesus? In tomorrow’s devotion, I’ll share the spiritual essentials for doing so.
Dear Father in Heaven, thank You for saving me and promising to make a home in my heart as I trust in You. It’s humbling to know that You sought me with a desire for me to be part of Your family and to set up residence in my heart. May my heart home be pleasing to You, Lord, and may it always be a sanctuary for You. In Your name I pray. Amen.
