May 30, 2015: Carve Out a Space

#HeartForTheWord

My latest enjoyable pastime is watching home improvement and home search television programs. Shows such as Property Brothers, Love It or List It, House Hunters, Income Property, Fixer Upper, etc. play back to back on the HGTV network and could fill the background of my day as I write and grade papers. We’ve done some remodeling in our home, so I know the excitement of ending up with a beautiful new kitchen, bathroom, back yard, or even a redesigned closet. I especially like to see the storage solutions because it’s always a challenge to find room for everything that’s important to me. I’m constantly trying to figure out how to store one more book, or another filing category, and of course, the great new pair of shoes or outfit.

Solomon’s work at having the house of the Lord built caused me to think about how I work at carving out space for my possessions. After he finished the building, he spoke to the people about the importance of the holy place. He told them, “So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt” First Kings 8:20-21 (NKJ).

In all the opulence of the temple, Solomon “made a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord.” Since our bodies are His habitation, the place for “the ark in which is the covenant of the Lord” is inside of each of us. We must sit our “house” down on a regular basis (sometimes we live more like a motor home than a temple), and engage in a remodeling effort. Tear down some walls and carve out that space in your “house” for regular quiet times of prayer, Bible study, and meditation.

This past year has been an extremely trying one for me at my full time teaching job and I must admit, I have not carved out as large of a quality space for the Lord and His word as I would have liked. But summer vacation, this reminder from Solomon, repentance, and a new resolve have all kicked in, so I’m feeling great about being back on track. I encourage you to join me in carving out a space for God and His word in your “house.”

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