Tonight I had the pleasure of visiting one of the many great churches in our area. I love that Bethel Church Valparaiso has service in the afternoon It allows us “double-dippers” the chance to be saturated in the presence of God twice in one day!
The worship team was doing a great job leading us to the very throne of God. After some time they started the song, “When You Walk Into the Room” by Bryan and Katie Torwalt.
The song starts, “When You walk into the room everything changes.”
My world at that moment stopped. If Jesus walked into the room, what would change?
I’m often challenged the lyrics we sing. “We bow down” – yet we are all still standing. “We stand and lift up our hands” , but do we really? We will sing “I surrender all”, but when push comes to shove, we surrender some. Or “Jesus You’re all I need” when in reality we think we need a bank account or a family or a 401K or a pill to solve the problem. The list could go on of the lyrics that challenge me – and convict me- all at the same time.
Today’s version was “When You walk into the room everything changes.”
What would it look like if Christ walked into the very rooms of my life? What would change in my home as He walked through the rooms of my home? How would my life be transformed? Would everything change?
I was reminded of a booklet I had read many years ago. It was called My Heart Christ’s Home by Robert Munger. This was the premise of his writing. If our heart is truly Christ’s home, what would that home look like.
Picture Christ walking into your very home. He is at your front door. He has knocked and you have opened the door to Him.
If Christ walked in the front door of your heart and entered your living room, what would be different? Would you be comfortable having Christ see what you are watching on TV? Would you flinch as He read the magazines or books on your coffee table? Would He be at home sitting on your couch, putting His feet up and chilling with you? Would you be comfortable if Jesus entered your living room?
Imagine if Jesus sat down at your table. What would you serve the King of kings? As He grabs the loaf of bread and breaks it, would you remember the sacrifices He made and give Him praise? Would you even have a place at your table for Him or would you have to sqeeze Him in? Would He be satisfied with what you are injesting each day? Would the conversations around your table bring Him joy or sorrow? Would He cringe as you talk about your day or would He be cheering you on?
Now He wants to go into the bathroom! It’s getting a little personal don’t you think? Would you even allow the Son of God to enter your bathroom? Would you allow Him to wash you clean? Or would you hide like Adam in your filth and nakeness? Would you even recognize your need to have the sin and stain removed?
Now He holds out His hand and invites you into the hallway. Are you willing to walk in the hallway with Him? Would you trust that wherever He leads is where You should go? Would you allow Him to be your guide? He might pause and look at the pictures – the memories made along the way. The friends and family that shaped your life. Would His image be seen in those photos?
I see Him leading you to the study. This room appears to be dark. It has been a while since the lights came on. He makes room and you sit down together. He grabs a Bible, blows the dust off, and invites you to learn of Him. Are you willing to sit with the Great Teacher?
And then He leads you to the end of the hallway. It’s the Master Bedroom. Do you welcome Him to the most intimate places in your heart or do you leave Him in the hallway knocking on the door? You decide to both enter in and you shut the door. There you are with the Lover of your soul. Do you allow Him to speak with you in the secret places? Are you comfortable when it is just you and Him? No distractions – no others.
Jesus is wanting to KNOW us. He is wanting to walk through the rooms of our hearts. He longs to enter EVERY ROOM and see EVERYTHING changed. Are you willing? Will you start by opening the front door?
“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jeus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may KNOW Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:8-11
I want to know Jesus! I want see everything changed. I want Him to know me. I want to be found in HIM – not in my works or my good deeds or my image. I want to KNOW HIM and be KNOWN BY HIM!
