Dwell in the House of the Lord

Today I had something hit me while I was visiting with a very dear friend in my nursing home.  I had a moment where my friend and I were reflecting in prayer, and I had some divine insight that made a connection between a couple passages that I wanted to share with you all. 

First off, if you have not read Hosea, please read it.  It's not a complete romance book, but it shows a HUGE portion of God's attributes in relation to us, his adulterous bride.  I finished a book called "Redeeming Love," which is based on this book of the Bible.  The final part of this connection is Psalm 23:6 "Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." I hope you can follow where my heart went as I try to put it into words. 

As I closed my eyes during our prayer time, I pictured myself in a house.  Just a cute, quaint place that was not my own.  It was a safe place, my sanctuary.  In this moment of reflection, I was with my husband (God). I was all dressed up prim and proper, working around the house.  I reflected on what it would be like to have been prostituted my whole life, and to continually run back to that because it was the life I was comfortable with.  Eventually, I learn more and more of this comfort inside this house that I did not deserve to be in.  I dwelt and communicated with a man that I didn't deserve to be with.  I pictured God pursing me in love and devotion to get me to the place that I was in my daydream.  I had a moment of realization that I am living in this "house" now because God has won me over.  Now, I still walk outside of this security and begin looking for things that I want to adore, and seek other things other than the One providing this shelter for me, but as a faithful husband, He pulls me back into His embrace.  

My big "Aha" moment rested on the fact that this house was not mine, and in reality, if I was in someone else's home, would I feel comfortable bringing things inside of it without the consent of the person that owned it?  Was it my place?  No, it's not.  I want to take control, and sometimes bring my own desires into the 'house' of the Lord.  God makes the calls of what comes into His house.  I can ask for it as his future bride, but I do not demand it nor do I go and get it for myself.  

So, saying this and having pictured where my place was in the "house" of the Lord, I reflected on a couple prayer requests that had weighed on my heart this morning.  One I had prayed for others:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."  
Hebrews 12:1

This next one I needed for myself:

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.  Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Philippians 4:8

What goes on in our hearts dwells there and appears in our behaviors, which become habits and obsessions.  Then it's hard to break them.  God showed me that I needed to nip it in the butt and start by guarding my heart and keeping my thoughts captive through thinking on these things in Philippians. 

This is something that God and I will work on together as I wake up in His 'house' every morning.  I pray you all can see this as well, and that maybe you can even let your imagination run wild as you spend time with our Father, who wants to be personal with you.     

"Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you.  Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you."  Psalm 143:8