In the summer of 2006 we moved into this home. We have done a lot of work on it--new lights, new floors, lots of paint, new baseboards, curtains and I'm sure other projects I've now forgotten about. We're pretty proud of ourselves, too. We've done most of the work ourselves (I will give credit to friends & neighbors who helped us along the way with advice and tools).
When new guests come over to our house I like to show it off. Most people politely oblige my need for giving house tours. Thank you; you are are too kind. I show off all of the rooms upstairs, my craft area in the basement and our bedroom. All the parts I'm proud of.
I choose not to show off our storage room--it's pretty embarrassing how much junk we have stored in there. I also do not include closets or the garage on the tour. Would you? Our bathroom is also pretty much neglected--I don't really like it because it's so small and it needs a bit of work. Our backyard doesn't get any nods of attention either. It's pretty bad. I would avoid the front yard altogether, but it's on display 24:7.
As I've begun to prepare my heart for Advent and Christmas this year. I've come to realize it needs a lot of work. There are parts of my life that are always on display and I tend to allow the nice, cleaned up, fixed up parts to show. I'm pretty organized--most people would be able to identify that characteristic pretty easily after one "tour" of my heart. I love teaching and being with kids. That's pretty obvious, too. I enjoy spending time with people--that's my #1 love language. You might only know that if you got the more in-depth tour that included one or two of the "off-limits" rooms.
But what would you find out if I showed you the storage room, my bathroom or heaven forbid, the closet in my study? I'm afraid that part of my heart-tour would be mortifying. We might not be able to be friends anymore. I know I would be filled with shame.
However, I've found that the more I share these dark-filled corners of my heart with other, trusted friends, the more it releases me from that shame and embarrassment. Other people have closets, garages and ugly bathrooms too. And sometimes they are willing to share theirs with me.
Ultimately, I am learning to recognize that God knows all of those corners and hidden places. He knows intimately all of the cobwebs (I found a really nasty one in my basement last night-yuck!) and dust and dirt. And He wants to clean it up for us.
I serve a God that chose to come down to earth--in human form, no less, and serve US. He wants to clean up our shame and embarrassment. And more importantly, our sin.
What rooms in your heart are off-limits? What causes you the most shame and embarrassment?
Would you be willing to share it with a friend? To whom will you share it with?
Will you share your hurts, habits and hang-ups with the One who can rid you of them forever? He's listening. He's waiting. And, he's willing.
What is preventing you from feeling his amazing grace? Let him clean up your heart today so you can be fully prepared to worship him this Christmas.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:12-13
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