A Guest or a Resident

There is a distinct difference between how we act when we have a guest staying in our home, even if it's an extended stay, than how we behave when we're just around our family, who are there all the time. Not that we are faking, but we are usually more conscious of our words & actions. The longer someone stays in our home, the more they get to know the real us, the good, the bad, and everything in between.

Before you think I had guests in my house and something bad happened, let me tell you what brought this on. I was listening to a song called "You are Welcome In This Place" by Hillsong. I started praying "Lord, You are welcome in my heart, my mind, my body, and my home..."



When I got to the word home, I began to have a flood of Scriptures go through my mind about how Christ lives in us, wants to abide in us, Emmanuel, God with us. I remembered the verse in Acts 17:28 that says "in Him we live and move and have our being..."

I sensed the Lord asking me if I would like Him to be a guest in my home, or a full time resident?

Don't get me wrong, I know He lives in my heart because I've gave my life to Him many, many years ago when I was saved. I'm talking about this "abiding" kind of fellowship where it's not up one day and down the next - or have powerful prayer & communion with Him in the morning, then start the rest of your day without another thought of Him until bedtime. It's that "living & moving and having my being in Him" that I'm talking about.

I heard in my spirit "there's a difference between my glory and my presence". So I said, "what is it?" I haven't fully grasped it all, but I think it is like when you go to pray or minister to someone, you take His presence with you, but you see His glory and feel His power being released as you minister. But this is not where you live all the time. You don't go around feeling God's power on a continual basis. But I can go about my day feeling His presence, hearing His voice, praising Him at moments throughout my day...as long as I stay connected.

I'm the one who disconnects, not Him. I compartmentalize my time with God, almost like someone who pulls up to the gas station and fills up their tank and then it's off I go. Praise & worship and prayer & communion with God is not just to fill us up and then have us go off on our own without Him. It shouldn't be like, "thanks God, I've got what I need now, so I'll report back to you later".

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is in John 15 where it talks about Jesus being the vine and we are the branches. Apart from Him, the Bible says we can do NOTHING! In verse 7 it promises that "if you abide in Him, and His words abide in you, you can ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." It goes on to say that by this, the Father is glorified. So by us abiding in Him, and having answered prayers, God is glorified because we're bearing much fruit.

This is the definition of "abide" - to stay; to continue in a place; to have one's abode; to dwell; to sojourn; To remain stable or fixed in some state or condition; to continue; to remain.

So, in answer to His question to me this morning...I want Him to be more than a guest who I show off my manners for a short time (religious), or who I enjoy His company but don't expect Him to stay long term. I want Him to be a resident in my house, who sees the good, the bad, and everything in between (getting real & honest with myself before God). As a matter of fact, I want Him to not only reside in my home (my heart & soul), but to be the Head of the house.