…may God grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…
Ephesians 3:16&17 (ESV)
Recently, I revisited the memory of the day I asked Jesus to come into my heart as a young girl. A favorite aunt shared the truth of God’s Word with me and, thankfully, I yielded my will and—oh, what an entrance He made! Right away I felt a shift at the center of my being. There was a genuine hunger to know truth and see things as they really are—instead of the muted darkness I had previously known. Jesus began to steadily fill my heart to overflowing with His own loving presence—and, as a result, I have never regretted opening my heart to Him.
As I grew in obedience to the Word of God, I found an amazing Scripture in John 14:23. Here Jesus says, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and WE will come to him and make our home with him.” Did I read that right? Jesus and the Father will both come to me and make their home in me? I learned that Jesus desired to make my heart His permanent home and actually live there as opposed to just a temporary residence. This new understanding motivated me to maintain a faithful walk so that Christ and the Father would always “feel at home” in my heart.
Then, came the understanding of the pièce de résistance of promises to me in John 14:2&3, In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. Jesus not only made it possible to prepare a place in my heart for Him—He also is preparing a place with Him in Heaven, and He will personally welcome me there. Hallelujah!
Lord, hear my prayer. Settle down deeper into this heart of mine and be fully at home—and then use it as Your own.