“He (David) swore an oath to the Lord and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob, ‘I will not enter my house or go to my bed – I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the mighty one of Jacob.‘”  Psalm 132:2-5

As I was pondering the above scripture it occurred to me that David was incredibly passionate about making a dwelling place for the Lord.  We know from scripture that he was a man consumed with the desire of having the Lord as close to him as possible.  I believe that this one desire above everything else made him a man “after God’s own heart”.  And because of that heart-cry he was able to create a tabernacle for the Lord and meet with God, with musicians and singers ministering to the Lord throughout the day, and all through the night. (1 Chronicles 15-16)

Every week in congregations around the world we invite the Lord in our worship to “come”.  We want Him to invade our circumstances, invade our churches and invade our workplaces.  We invite Him – throwing the vacancy sign out on the doors of our hearts to let Him know we’re available.  Then He comes.  Standing at the front door He knocks, and we’re surprised when we open the door and see Him standing there.  I can hear the conversation now…

“I received your invitation and immediately told Gabriel to pack My bags…here I AM!” He says with a smile.

At this point you’re thinking the house isn’t clean and the beds aren’t made…and there are still breakfast dishes in the sink.  And where will you put Him?  From the look of the bag He’s carrying, He’s planning on staying for a while.

“Ummm…hold on one second.  Check-in is at 4pm.  Can you come back then?”

God smiles, says that would be fine, and walks back down the walkway.

It’s 10am, so you have 6 hours to whip the place into shape.  Everyone is employed in getting the house in order, and the best guest room is prepared.  Dinner is in the oven, the fire lit in the fireplace and the best linens placed on the table.  4 o’clock arrives, and so does God.  He’s right on time.

You run to the door to open it before He has the opportunity to knock again.  With a sweep of your hand and a smile on your face you welcome Him into your home.  After entering your home He is immediately drawn to the family pictures you have on your fireplace mantel.  Caressing each face with His finger, each person is lovingly acknowledged by His gentle gaze.  Placing the pictures back as He found them, He turns to you and says, “Can I see My room now please?”

He follows you up the stairs to the guest bedroom.  As He fills the room you realize at once that it is much too small to accommodate Him.  What should you do?  All the other rooms are completely filled with family members, other guests, and items stored away.  The attic is full of Christmas items and storage containers of clothing, sports equipment, and family memorabilia.  The basement is full of entertainment and exercise equipment.  Then the thought hits – “Perhaps I should give Him my room.”

Hearing your racing thoughts, God chuckles.

Each week as we ask the Lord to “come”, we need to ask ourselves if we’ve prepared a place for Him first.  Our hearts can be full, but our mouths keep telling Him to come anyway.  Is Jesus trying to find a place in your heart to rest and there’s no vacancy?  Have you filled yourself with other pressing more worldly things that have screamed for attention first?  Or have you prepared a place for Him like the widow did for Elijah (1 Kings 17:7-16)?  Can you say like David that you will not give rest to your eyes until room is found for the King of Kings?  Are you offering Him a place in the basement, or a place in the attic? Will He fit in the hall closet?  Or have you prepared the best room in the house – your favorite room with the softest sheets, the walk-in closet and bathroom with jacuzzi tub?  Will you give Him your personal bedroom filled with the most priceless treasures you own?

Does He get the honor of having the “Master” bedroom?

Others throughout history have been known to prepare places for important people.  The prophet Elijah was sent to a widow in Zarephath during a severe famine, and as she received him into her home, she and her son were saved from certain death.  When the boy was later struck with an illness and died, Elijah called him back to life again (1 Kings 17).

What provisions do you need from the hand of the Lord?  What areas of your life need a resurrection?

A Shunammite woman prepared a place for the prophet Elisha, and was radically blessed as well.  The Lord opened her womb and she gave birth to a son (2 Kings 4).

What dreams are held within your heart that need to be birthed?

Those who receive a prophet receive a prophet’s reward (Matthew 10:41).  How much more will we receive when the Lord comes to inhabit our hearts through the Holy Spirit!

But let’s take this a step further.

When you agree to allow the Lord to have the best room in the house, you will find that suddenly you don’t want Him to leave.  What more can you do?  You’ve given Him the best room in the entire house!  Looking at the keys hanging by the door, it suddenly occurs to you what would keep Him there indefinitely.  Taking the keys down you begin to ascend the stairs to His room.  Knocking gently on the door, you are summoned to enter.  Taking His hand in yours, you carefully place the set of keys in His hand.

“These are Yours now,” you say.  “You can have my home.  You can have my family, my car, my business, and my finances.  Everything I have is now yours.”

Smiling, God pulls out a keyring of His own.  “Because you have done this thing, you may now enter My house, and make My heart your home.  My life will flow in you, and My provision will flow to you.  My Spirit will empower you to do all I desire, and the gates of hell will not prevail against you.  And I will never leave you or forsake you.”

As we make room for the King of kings, we will find that nothing is impossible for us.  He’s knocking at the door even now.  Have you prepared your heart for visitation, or habitation?

“…choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15