THE HEART HOUSE

‘Who is knocking at my door so early in the day?’ I muttered as I untied my apron and impatiently threw it across the chair as I walked to the door.

I opened the door to one of my friends, Mary.

‘Come in’, I gladly beckoned, yet also hoping her visit would not interrupt my well-planned day. Mary walked towards the kitchen, where we usually enjoyed a hot drink.

‘Aaaah!’ I gasped, ‘please do not go in there. I haven’t washed the dishes or swept the floor.’ She shrugged her shoulders, and turned back to the lounge.

Gently I held Mary’s arm to restrain her. ‘Please, not there,’ I urged. ‘The Youth group visited last night, and look at the mess. I intend vacuuming the pizza crumbs.’

Mary bit her lip in dismay. ‘Well, I can sit in your bedroom,’ she assured me, but I could not (and would not ) allow that. ‘I still need to make the bed, and please keep away from the second bedroom because the grandchildren stayed, and their toys littered the floor.’

Mary’s patience wavered, but she cajoled, ‘Well, there’s only the bathroom left.’ I banged the door shut, aware of the bathwater, and clothes strewn across the floor.

‘Look, I love you,’ said Mary, ‘and I enjoy my visits, but you push me out of every room. There’s no welcome here, and she hurried to the front door’. I pushed her outside as I felt ashamed of the inside mess. I knew I should spend the day cleaning and tidying my home.

Reluctantly, and with the unmistakable glint of tears in her eyes, Mary walked away as I offered a half-hearted wave. I closed the door, surveyed the mess, and began my cleaning foray. I felt so embarrassed and concerned that I had hurt my very dear friend.

Next day loving Mary returned with a jar of strawberry jam in her basket, despite my pushing her away the previous day.

’Come in,’ I beamed. ‘ You can enter each room.’ I held her hand in welcome and beckoned her inside.

‘Everything is different,’ she beamed. ‘You cleaned each room,’ she smiled as she roamed through the house. ‘I think I shall stay all day.’

Do you think that actually happened in my home?

It represents our heart-home. What if Jesus came to visit and expected to feel welcome? My heart, or inside life, is Christ’s home, with rooms to offer Him access. The rooms are not made of bricks and paint, but represent ME – my mind, my thoughts, my imagination room. My social room, where I develop friends, occupy kids and enjoy good clean fun. There’s the food room. My activities room. The hallowed bedroom. The bathroom where I find the soap and water to cleanse myself.

How can Jesus Christ feel at home in an untidy heart-house?

But because God loves me He has shown me how to have a clean heart-house. ‘ Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you’. ( John 15:3 ) As

I read God’s ideas for clean living, He desires me to follow and obey Him. When my heart-house is clean I honour God, and my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about the rooms in your heart-house that require cleaning today.

Thoughts. Imaginations. Resentments. Literature. Videos. TV.

Peer temptations. Activities. Social l.ife.

God describes an unclean heart-house. Read Matthew 15:19,20

‘Out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, murder, immorality, theft, lies and slander...

These are what make people unclean.’

If your heart-house needs cleansing follow God’s invitation:

1 John 1:9. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness.

REPENT. CONFESS. ACCEPT FORGIVENESS

HAPPY HEART-HOUSE