My house is His house

I have a devotional I keep by my bed I try to read through before I go to sleep so the word of God is the last think I am thinking about other than talking to Him before I actually fall asleep. The devotional is The Joy of my Heart by Anne Graham Lotz. Well yesterdays message was really neat, something I have not thought about before. She was talking about how she was cleaning her house so when her father came over it would look nice, but how she should keep it looking nice because her heavenly Father lives there and she should want to keep it up for Him. Well, this really got my attention. I am not good at keeping my house clean but it is something I am trying to do. With this thought in mind I want to keep my house kept up because I want the presence of my heavenly Father to be so welcomed that anyone who enters sees He is there and is welcomed by His spirit, not mine. If He lives in me then He lives in my house. This has really changed the way I have been feeling the past couple of days about starting back into my routine of house cleaning. Don't get me wrong, I have been ready to get back into a routine, but not exactly excited about doing the housework again. Well, today, I am cleaning with a new found attitude. I want my heavenly Father to be welcomed all of the time and to feel comfortable here in my earthly house.

"House" cleaning!

This morning it was hard for me to get up. It is perfect sleeping weather for me. I love for it to be a little cold in the air and to be bundled under the covers. God is good though because He wouldn't let me stay in bed too long before reminding me that I had some things to do. So, He was showing me yesterday in church that even though I am getting my house cleaned, I am not cleaning my house. I was confused for a while and so I continued to pray. What He was trying to share with me was that there is a lot of clutter in my home and there is lots that I need to give away to others. That I do have a lot of stuff but most of the stuff doesn't "have" me so it is okay to get rid of it to those who can use it or who needs it. So, this morning the Lord was showing me so many things to give away that I couldn't keep up with it all. He was actually showing me where to start and what to give away. That is so cool to me because I don't think that has actually happened to me before. Well, just when I thought things were good and we were finished, He showed me that my other "house" needed cleaned also. He has been purging me for a long time, years in fact, but lately He has really been moving in my heart and my mind and getting rid of all the junk that has been cluttering my life. The neat part is that I am hearing Him and responding. So, this morning He had some "house cleaning" to do of His own in my life and it was easy this time for me. It seems the more I press into Him, the more He takes away and the easier it becomes. I don't know, maybe I am crazy, but I am so thankful that He won't leave me alone and wants to continue to "clean my house" too. So, I encourage you, ask the Lord if there is anything in your "house" that needs cleaned today and then be willing to clean out of your life!