What If?

When I was in my teens I came across some thoughts by Lois Kendall Blanchard that powerfully presented God moving into our hearts and lives and being exposed to all our plans and actions.

Here’s what she said:

“If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two—
If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do.
Oh, I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored Guest,
And all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best,
And you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there—
That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare.

But—when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome to your heavenly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder—if the Savior spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Would your family conversation keep at its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,
And let Him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go?
Or would you, maybe, change you plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do
If Jesus Christ in person came to spend some time with you”.
– Lois Kendall Blanchard

This too often describes us. God would not be comfortable with
most of our everyday experiences? Major changes would have to
come both on the inside and outside? He probably would not want
to stay on and on.

Robert Boyd Munger wrote a classic story about this titled, My
Heart, Christ’s Home. He divided the house of his heart into distinct
rooms: the Study, the Dining Room, the Living Room, the Work
Room, the Rec Room, and the Hall Closet. As he walked through
each room separately he noticed they all needed to be carefully
evaluated, changed and given to the Lord for His control. Munger
had given God the deed to the house of his heart, but then realized he
had not surrendered possession of each room specifically. When he
did that the Lord became not only a Guest in his heart but the Master
of his life.

In light of the “ifs” of our lives, we must meticulously commit
everything to Him. He has promised to always be with us (Hebrews
13:5). Personally, powerfully and daily He gives strength, insight, and
wisdom so each step is in His path (Proverbs 3:5-6). He continues
to ask us to give Him not most but all. This really makes all the
difference in the world.

Till next time, Don Johnson, KP Chaplain