How would people describe your home? Friends describe my home as homey, cozy, and peaceful.

As you walk into my foyer, you are welcomed by warm, golden walls and a room filled with cranberry red accents. My plaid couch is as old as my 20 year son, and the slight fraying just adds to its personality. You can sit on that comfy couch and put your feet up on my dented coffee table. You can reach over and grab the afghan that will warm you up on a cold day.

Let’s turn on the gas logs, plug in the twinkling lights on the mantle, and light a few candles. You will hear the sound of peaceful music through the speakers, see the light streaming in through the skylights, and hear the soothing sounds of water in the fountain.

Welcome home.

It is peaceful here. There is no clamoring music. The furniture is not stiff or covered with plastic but it is comfortable. Your senses lead you to relax because you hear soothing music, you smell sweet smells, you feel soft fabrics, and you see glowing lights.

You feel at home.

In Ephesians 3:17, Paul prays for the Ephesians that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” This prayer is also for us today, that Christ may dwell in OUR hearts through faith. The word “dwell” literally means “to settle down and feel at home.” Paul is praying that Jesus would be able to settle down and feel at home in their hearts.

Whew. I’m not sure that Jesus would be able to settle down and feel at home in my heart.  If Jesus looked around the room of my heart, He would find plenty of things that would make Him uncomfortable.

Jesus would find unconfessed sin. He would find sin that He had convicted me of (through Holy Spirit) and that I was not yet willing to let go of. He would see the dark and dingy walls of my heart where sin thrived. He would smell the stench of jealousy, bitterness, selfishness, and pride.  He would see the areas of my life where I am not yet ready to surrender.

Jesus would be made uncomfortable by those things I have used to try to replace Him.   The Bible calls them idols.  He would wonder at the many candles, oils, herbs, and even medications I’ve used to try to find peace, when only He can give it. He would be curious about my sandals in every color from where I’ve tried to find my identity in current fashions rather than Him. He would see how I’ve striven for man’s approval, rather than being satisfied with His.

Jesus would cringe at how much the room of my heart looked like the world, rather than His kingdom. He would question the many forms of entertainment that I have used to create my own comfort instead of denying myself and taking up my cross for Him. He would see the pursuit of riches and things by how much stuff I have. He would see how my choices for books and movies look a lot like the world and not a whole lot like Him.

But what would break Jesus’ heart would be hearing the true thoughts of my heart. He would hear the times that I’ve spoken a scripture aloud, but doubted the truth of it in my heart. He would hear the lies that I am believing about Him – about How he doesn’t care and He won’t act. He would know that I don’t think always think that He is a good Savior or Friend. He would sense my stress and worry because of my unbelief.

What would Jesus find in your heart? Would He be at home there?

No doubt you also have some unconfessed sin, some idolatry, worldliness, and unbelief, just like me.

Let’s renovate our hearts so that Jesus can settle down and feel at home there. Let’s remove the things that would make Jesus feel uncomfortable and create an environment where Jesus not only feels welcomed, but like He’s the honored guest.

Let’s make Jesus Lord in our hearts.

Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

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