I love how He gives me the verses each day. Before reading,I pray to hear when He "speaks" to me. It is such a delight when I actually feel my stomach do a little flip when I "hear" Him.
This morning as I was reading through about the security guards, the financial affairs, military organization, tribal administrators, the temple plans, etc. I kept thinking, "I'm not hearing Him". And then, almost at the end of reading - it leaped out at me - "the closets for storing all the holy things". I immediately thought, "what? what in the world - closets?". I drafted this verse and a couple of others because I was so sure I had "heard" Him wrong.
And tonight, when I opened up my draft - there it was staring me right in the face. And I knew. I had heard Him correctly.
There is an old story about Jesus coming into your "heart" and wanting to have every "room" within. It takes you through the living room, He talks about the TV and what you watch. The kitchen, bath, bedroom, etc. and as you guide Him through - you give over to Him each "room". That is until you come to the end of the hall to the closet. It is there you change from gracious to rude host. You stand in front of the door and are unwilling to open it because you do not want Him to see inside. It's in the "closet" that you have "hidden" everything that serves self and not Him. When I hear of persons walking off and leaving everything, except what is in their closets, then I again recognize that is where their treasure is. Why God wants to see and know what we keep there.
It almost physically pains me when I have to "hurry up and hide something" in my organized drawers or closets. That is why I am stressing out over my closets and things not getting gone through this winter.
Curt is a digger. He also doesn't organize very well - doesn't utilize space. He is a "hurry up and put it away" guy. It used to drive me nuts when he would dig through organized areas. Then God transformed my heart and I realized it is a blessing to have him in my life - and "share" my organized areas with him.
This verse tells me that God does provide closets. They aren't a bad thing. It's what you put in them. Are they holy things? Would I be ashamed if I could see persons going through my things when I am gone? How about when God goes through my "closet" in my heart? Sometimes when I am watching something on TV - I hear Him say, "is this holy". It isn't pornography or anything like that - it's just worldly things. I love murder mystery shows, and sometimes the violence is so worldly. I am finding things I really enjoyed - not so much anymore. One good thing about this Blog through The Word is most nights after work, I am writing rather than watching TV. Even reading the paper. satan wants us to become numb or tolerant of the worldly things.
That is why it is so essential to fill my "closet" with His Words to overcome the words of the world.
As far as being ashamed. Yes, I fail so often. At times I will catch myself thinking unloving thoughts......towards someone who has "done me wrong". I need to be praying and forgiving. At times, I am totally focused on "self" and not Him. At times I allow anger to stew and the words that come forth, aren't Christlike. At times I am self righteous, judgemental, envious, coveting, lazy, procrastinate, all about self. Right there in the middle of the top shelf. And if I am not submitting to His "cleaning", that stuff will totally consume all of me and my heart. I am so very thankful that His grace and mercy and all things holy, are also stored in there. He is helping me feel the urgency to "clean" when I am around hoarders. Those that have their "closets" crammed full physically, spiritually, and mentally. It drives me to come home and throw out!
How thankful I am that He is bigger than anything in my "closet" and He is "helping" me clean out my closet.I know that until I die there will always be little dust balls here and there. But, I also know that He will keep on "cleaning" with me no matter what.
All I have to do is stand back and open my "closet" door.
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