Inspecting the heart
After 15 months on the market we signed an agreement of sale on our house this past weekend. Lord willing it is sold. My doubts arise because before we can be sure it’s sold we must have four inspections of our house. Termites, mortgage company, city inspection, and an “independent inspection” requested by the buyers.
Though we are permitted to be in the house for these our realtor suggested that we might be more comfortable if we would not be home. The first inspection took three hours. I never expected that. I came home at one hour and left and then again at one and a half and the inspector was still here. Finally my husband came home from work and we abandoned the dinner I was making and went out to eat. When we came home they were gone.
I was somewhat surprised at how awkward it was to have strangers in my house when I was here. We had had several showings but we were not home for them so the awkwardness wasn’t an issue. This is still “my” house, they were on my territory, but I didn’t feel like I could live comfortably while there were intruders here (even with permission).
All of this made me think about how God must feel when I allow intrusive thoughts or images into my heart where He lives. Am I causing Him to have to dwell with things that cause Him discomfort? Is God uncomfortable with the intrusion or with the one who allows the intrusion into His territory?
David said in Psalm 86:11-12, Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
An undivided heart is a heart totally set on pleasing God – no intruders allowed. I chose to stick around for only a portion of this man’s inspection and to feel the intrusion. Thank God that He, too, chooses not to leave us when we allow thoughts, images, words, or feelings into our hearts that displease Him. He cannot tolerate sin so He may stir us up to show His dissatisfaction. He may even step out of the way if we insist on keeping the intruders forgetting His holiness is abiding there, too.
What have you and I been allowing into our hearts via our eyes, ears, or our thoughts that are not compatible with a Holy, Almighty, ever Loving God?
Will you ask Him to teach you His ways so you can walk in the Truth with an undivided heart? He is a resident of our heart, not an intruder but an abider. We should show Him the highest level of respect and hospitality that we can afford.