In a world of distractions, we struggle to slow down and listen. This was the main point of the sermon last week. I want to continue with that focus this week and give an image of what we have Christians have often focused on and what listening does for us and, more importantly, in us.
Jesus gives a brief parable in Matthew’s Gospel that has worked as an image of the Christian life for me over the years. Before we get to the parable, I want to share an odd memory that I have of a house I visited as a kid. I might have been 8 at the time. We were visiting distant relatives that I had only met a few times. I remember walking into their house and there being a rope sectioning off one of their rooms. The room was pristine. The floor was adorned with the whitest carpet I had ever seen. There was also a white couch, which may or may not have had a plastic cover. I don’t actually remember a plastic cover or not because I couldn’t get anywhere near the couch.
The owners of the house kept this room immaculate. It was pure of dust and dirt. My embellished memory recalls the fear of my mother as she brought her 8 and 11-year-old boys into the house. I do remember a stern command to not go into that room. For whatever reason, that room pops into my memory from time to time. Years later, I thought about how silly it is to have a room where live wasn’t allowed to take place.
Sometimes the Christian life is like that. We get really focused on making sure everything is clean and in order, but we don’t allow any life to enter in. I remember hearing a lot of “Don’ts” growing up. Good Christians don’t ___________. These lists aren’t bad in and of themselves, but do they lead to life? When we approach Christianity only from a point of do’s and don’ts, we place the emphasis on what we do to make our life right rather than submitting to God and allowing him to work within us.
The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:13-26) are not developed through sheer willpower. They are developed by allowing the Spirit to enter into your life. Then, the house will be decent and in order and will be a place where life is being lived. Read Matthew 12:43-50 with this in mind. If you’ve removed the demons from your life, gotten the house in order, but haven’t opened the door for God to take residence, then the demons will just keep coming back and you’ll be worse off than you were before.
Where can you create space for listening to God in your life? What areas of your life are you struggling to “get in order”? Invite the Spirit’s guidance into those areas.
Read Matthew 12:46-50 – Who are Jesus’ true Family? How do you know the will of God? How are you allowing God’s will to guide what you do in your life?