What are you making space for?- Day 2 of 8 Lent reflections
When we first moved into our home, Joe and I regularly rearranged our furniture. We started out, as many newly-married couples do, with second-hand pieces and whatever else we could afford. As time went on, we upgraded piece by piece. Each time we moved a new item of furniture in, we’d move everything around and get rid of the old pieces that no longer fit or served their purpose. In the process, we’d find lost items and uncover spaces in desperate need of cleaning.
In the same way, we all want to create a sense of ‘home’ in our house, we can create a sense of home for Christ to dwell within our hearts. We get to invite the King of Kings to come and take up residence in the lounge room of our lives. Thinking this way, what would you rearrange in your life right now that doesn’t feel conducive to entertaining the King of Kings?
“Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,” says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
Isaiah 66:1-2
If these words don’t evoke the majesty and grandeur of God, I’m not sure what will. Stop for a moment and picture a throne extending from the heavens to the earth. Not unlike a scene from Gulliver’s Travels, where God (like Gulliver) is huge and we (the people) are minuscule in comparison.
It is the juxtaposition of the greatness of God and our humble humanity that provides the beauty of this verse. Though we are small and insignificant, the God of the whole universe invites us to build a home for Him. A place where He may rest.
The Greek word for ‘rest’ is ‘menuchah.’ The word means resting place, a place of stillness, repose, and consolation. It is a quiet place of peace, soothing comfort, and of settling down. The creator of the universe desires to rest, dwell, settle down, and make a home within a space we create for Him. Mind-blowing.
The Christian life is a constant renovation of our inner world. Different seasons require something different of us. The space we create for Christ evolves in order to facilitate what He wants to do within and through us. Sometimes it means letting go of projects and patterns we’ve grown attached to, other times it’s stretching to accommodate something new.
In the process of rearranging our hearts and lives, we’ll find some areas have been neglected and need a good clean. We might rediscover old dreams and desires that have been put on the shelf—perhaps it’s time to take some of these out and dust them off. It is in these times of intentional sorting that we remember who we really are and have the opportunity to realign our values accordingly.
As we reshape our inner worlds at times we are left uncomfortably empty; like something important is missing. We may pine for the old, but unless we are willing to let it go, there will be no space for the new. Don’t bow to the desire to fill spaces that Jesus has emptied. Trust Him in the process.
God’s plan is to dwell within human hearts, not man-made temples. The temple of the Holy Spirit must be built within us—we create that space. We can shape the kind of life that the Holy Spirit desires to inhabit.
This heart renovation is a prayerful and intentional task. If God is looking for one ‘who is of a poor and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at His word,’ then we know it will take honesty, humility and obedience.
It’s time to rearrange the furniture of your heart to create more space for the Holy Spirit to dwell.
REFLECTION
1. What is currently taking up space in your heart? Some things need to be let go of or moved to a less prominent position. Are you willing to let them go?
2. Once you have moved things around, there will be some empty spaces. Is there something you could imagine God might want to fill these spaces with? Often, we think of the obvious things like spending more time with God and reading the Word. But the space He desires to dwell in can also be within activities that delight our soul; painting, creating, catching up with friends… What is it for you?
3. Throughout this process, you may uncover old dreams and desires that are forgotten or discarded. Could it be time to pick up a neglected dream or desire and give it some attention again?
Commit to regularly doing this ongoing renovation of your heart. Every season requires something different from us, and we want to be continually ready to host King Jesus.
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, come and remake Your home in me.
You have full reign in my heart.
Help me create a space where You love to rest.
Give me the courage to let go of what no longer serves Your purpose.
Remind me who I am in You.
Have Your way in my heart, now and forever.
Amen
Carly is a writer living on the Gold Coast, Australia with her husband Joe and their two girls: Beni and Selah. She is a passionate follower of Jesus Christ, a lover of His Church, His people, His Word and life in general.
Faceless Worship is the first book in the series ‘A Pilgrimage to Worship.’ Across eight days of study, you’ll find word studies and accompanying links to scriptural references for further reading.
The Worship series is for all creatives and anyone seeking a better understanding of biblical worship. Book one, Faceless Worship, is a call to humility. It’s for the hungry, the desperate, and those desiring to cultivate a relationship with Jesus that is so close that it causes all else to fade into insignificance.
Carly’s first book Daughter Wait is an invitation to consider a different approach to dating and relationships. If you have ever wondered, “How do I have a Godly relationship?” How do I know if he is the one? What are realistic boundaries in a Christian relationship? How do I move on from a broken heart? Then this book is for you. Written in Carly’s unique conversational style, you’ll cry, laugh and cheer as you follow her story of love and loss. Daughter Wait is a timeless reminder that regardless of your past, God has the best for your future.