A Permanent Resident

I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit. Isaiah 57:15

I marvel at God’s choice of residence. He sits enthroned in the glories of Heaven. Surrounded by beauty, angels, and worship. His power, might, and wisdom cannot be harnessed. He is God! Creator of Heaven and Earth. Sustainer of all life. And yet He longs to live in each one of us. To be a permanent resident!

This verse makes me picture a house. And what is it that swings open the front door and welcomes God in as a member of the family? Contrition and lowliness! My sorrow over sin and shortcomings and loss of self-assertive pride are the welcome mats to my heart. They invite God into my life and it is an invitation He never refuses. I misunderstood this for years.
I knew at salvation I had nothing to offer Him. I needed Him to forgive my sin and save me. When I accepted Christ as my Savior, He accepted me as His child. It changed where I would spend eternity and how I would live my life here. Yet somehow with time I lost the ability to be vulnerable with God.

My Christian life became a never ending attempt to put my best foot forward with my heavenly Father. The more I tried to show myself strong and capable of living a victorious life, the less I was able to admit to Him my own places of brokenness and failure. I bought into the lie that my imperfections, weaknesses, and vile tendencies repulsed and disappointed God when it came to His opinion of me. Not only did that cause me to pull in the welcome mat, it closed the door and kept me at arms length from having a close, intimate relationship with Him.

When Jesus told the Pharisees that a doctor is needed for the sick and not the healthy, I missed His point. All of mankind is sick! But only those who will admit it can get help. He longs for me to come to Him freely on a daily basis and admit where I need Him. It must be a life style of honesty with Him. Confession is not beating myself up over failure as much as it is simply admitting what God already knows about me. It allows Him to live in me and begin His work of revival.

Father, I am through with pretending. I welcome You in! Amen.