Revelation 3:20
“Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him and he with Me.”
One of the most powerful books written, My Heart Christ’s Home by Robert Boyd Munger, is just twenty-eight pages long. But, in those few pages, he shares his thoughts on how Jesus desires to be a presence not only in our hearts but in our homes. “Without question one of the most remarkable Christian doctrines is that Jesus Christ Himself through the presence of the Holy Spirit will actually enter a heart, settle down and be at home there,” Munger says. “[Jesus] came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship.” What a beautiful picture of how our Lord considers our heart His home!
When Christ comes to dwell in our heart, His Lordship over every area of our life begins. This isn’t a “one and done” or immediate transformation. Jesus isn’t just passing through; He’s made our heart a permanent residence. Think of the way we are when we purchase a new home: we invest in it, take care of it by making improvements, we decorate the rooms to make them pleasing and comfortable. Jesus does the same by investing in us, improving our lives, and decorating with hope, joy, peace, and the other Fruit of the Spirit. He enjoys spending time with us, and having two-way conversations through prayer.
This heart-home transformation is a process as we become attuned to the Holy Spirit. Our heart must be soft and pliable, willing to make some hard changes, replacing the dishonorable with the honorable. How is this accomplished on a practical level?
We are reminded once again of what Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:23: “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching, My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” In his book, Munger suggests that we let Jesus be fully at home in our house by letting Him point out features that perhaps need improvement to be ready for “every good work.”
• The Study or Office: If you are like me, if there is something I indulge in it is books. If Jesus asked if He could take a look at the titles on the bookshelves, or the pictures hanging on the walls, would you be embarrassed? How might your current reading material affect the “library of your mind”—your thoughts?
• The Dining Room or Kitchen: when we think of our dining room we automatically think of food, and food might actually be a problem for some. But, we also may fall prey to appetites of other sorts: money, status, success, fame, entertainment, or beauty. We often think they will feed or satisfy the cravings we have for our souls but they will never satisfy our spiritual hunger. How might we turn to Jesus to be the source of our true hunger?
• The Living or Family Room: this is often the most comfy room in the house, where we curl up with a good book in front of the fire, or gather to fellowship with family and friends. But how about our fellowship with Jesus? Do we forsake spending time with Him in favor of other things that we may think are more satisfying or are deserved “me” times?
• The Recreation Room: what forms of entertainment do we offer to ourselves, our family, or friends? Is any of it unwise, or is it wholesome, family-friendly fun? Are we watching movies, listening to music, or viewing videos on our computers that are not appropriate? Would Jesus feel comfortable taking part?
• The Bedroom: marriage is sacred and God’s teaching on love and marriage is timeless and does not change with cultural shifts. How does knowing God’s laws are unchanging help you to remain faithful to His plan for marriage?
• The Hall Closet: our hall closet tends to be the smallest in the house, but is usually filled to the brim with items that are sometimes hidden from view. That is what Jesus teaches us through the example of the closet—we all have sins that are hidden from view, that we are reluctant to share with others or deal with. To Him nothing is hidden. He knows everything about us, the fragrant and the stinky. What keeps us from opening up that closet to Him? Why does God want us to deal with those secret sins?
Dear readers, God wants us to have the courage to open our hearts to His grace and forgiveness by inviting Him in to search through our home for anything that needs to be removed. He loves us, and wants to make our hearts and homes clean, holy, worthy of the Master, and always ready for every good work!
Lord, we thank you for the teaching on making our heart Your home. Holy Spirit, convict us if there are areas in our heart or home that are in need of cleansing, for deep down our desire is that they be honorable and worthy of Your presence always. For Your sake and glory we pray. Amen.
Portions adapted from My Heart, Christ’s Home by Robert Boyd Munger
