Question 1

“And so it is with prayer — keep on asking and you will keep on getting; keep on looking and you will keep on finding; knock and the door will be opened. Everyone who asks, receives; all who seek find; and the door is opened to everyone who knocks.” (Luke 11:9 The Living Bible)

As 2016 approached, I considered the inevitable resolution dilemma—if I make one, I will fail, and if I don’t make one, I won’t know for sure that I failed, right?

So I decided instead to ask myself questions under God and Grace and truly search for meaningful answers.

I started with this realization that invaded my Advent, saturated my Christmas celebrations, and has stayed in my thoughts. “I AM THE INN THAT JESUS WANTS TO BE BORN IN.” I didn’t read it anywhere, or hear it, or sit down and think it up. It came simply and silently into my spiritual awareness. Starting there, my first New Year’s question became… Is there room at the Inn? Is there a room in my life that is reserved for God, always waiting to be filled, clean and prepared, the welcome mat out and the innkeeper, me, waiting expectantly and joyfully everyday with the door wide open? No easy answers allowed! Think. Search. Be honest. Look intently and intensely.

So first of all… Yes! I know the room there is available! I made that decision when I turned my life over to God and accepted Jesus as my personal Savior early in my life. The room is permanently reserved for Him. No question about it.

Next up: am I always waiting for it to be filled? Do I expect His residency in my “today”? Do I anticipate His occupancy of that space? I know He wants me to center my life around Him, but do I understand that it is my responsibility to greet Him and invite Him into my “today”? All of the events, people, places, thoughts, ideas, the ups and downs and ins and outs. Am I inviting Him in to fill all of my messy life with Himself, today?

And then, have I not just tidied up the room, but truly cleaned it thoroughly and prepared for Him? Have I excised all of yesterday’s unworthy feelings and attitudes? What about any actions or reactions that were harmful to someone else or myself? Have I earnestly searched the depths of myself, truly desiring to have no hidden corners? Am I presenting myself as clear and clean as I can as I invite Him in anew?

And now, is the welcome mat out and the door to my heart wide open? I want to be singing “Jesus loves me, this I know! For the Bible tells me so!” and “Joyful! Joyful, I adore thee! God of Glory, Lord of life!” I want to be jumping up and down like Max in Where the Wild Things Are, ready to have a wild rumpus with Him today! I want to greet today with prayer and thanksgiving and a searching heart. He is not afraid of any question I ask and I know He will quench the searching of my soul because He promised he would! Come into my life today Lord Jesus… welcome, welcome… there is room at the Inn.

Love and Joy! Char

*And that was only question #1! Char can be reached via email here.