Make Yourself At Home

I’m about to make a confession…one that may ruin my reputation as a pastor’s wife forever. If you’re one of my relatives or church folks please keep in mind all the good things that I do well as you read the following disclosure.

My name is Stephanie, and I am a slob.

As I write this there are dirty dishes in my sink, clean clothes piled in laundry baskets around the room, cobwebs hanging from my ceiling, and a “guest room” that makes my husband cringe every time I open the door. When the doorbell rings I find myself making a mad dash around the living room in order to make things presentable (or at least not shockingly horrible) before welcoming unexpected guests.

Every once in a while I will buckle down and de-clutter one of my scary places. It usually takes something drastic to make that happen, such as my mom coming to visit or the exterminator’s yearly walk-through. But when I start going through the mess, I’m always amazed at what I find: unopened CD’s, notebooks filled with old to-do lists, clothes that I can only dream about wearing again, missing earrings, nostalgic photos, endless piles of worksheets from my daughters’ elementary school days… priceless treasures and worthless junk all piled together and camouflaged by a layer of chaos.

Today I read a verse that stood out in light of my slobbery… slobbiness…slobbitude… my lack of housekeeping ability:

“Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make ourselves at home with them.” John 14:23

I love Jesus and I definitely want Him to love me. But do I really want Him to make Himself at home with me? What if he opens up that closet door of secrets that hasn’t seen the light of day in years? What if He is disgusted by the things He finds hidden in the dark corners of my heart? What if He gets lost amid the piles of clutter in my mind? That’s scary.

But what if He also helps me get rid of the clutter so I have more room for Him? What if He uncovers some hidden gifts and treasures I have forgotten that I possess? What if He comes in and cleans me up, without passing judgment, so that I can welcome Him fully and without shame? I think I would like that.

I love You, LORD. Come and make Yourself at home in my life. You are worth the risk. Get rid of the junk and make my messy places useful again. And if You could help me get this laundry finished, that would be great, too! 

What would you think about Jesus making Himself at home in your life? Do you have any housekeeping tips for me? Any closet slobs out there? Leave a comment so I know I’m not alone!