Saturday, September 10, 2005

Who's on the throne of your heart?

A few years ago, Rick and I went to a concert by Michael W. Smith. The whole night was an amazing and incredible experience but the moment I remember as a stand-out was when the lights dimmed and M.S.W. walked to the end of the stage and quoted Psalm 139. Powerful! I am convinced he had taken ownership of David's words.
Glance into the thoughts David shares here with me --
Bottom line: God made us; He is crazy about us; and He will never leave us. He knows more about me than I have a clue! Let that settle for a moment. The God Who knows it all and can't help but love us anyway. The One Who knows every thought that ever whizzed across my mind and every thought that held me captive - He continues to invade my heart and He longs to pour more of Himself in it! Go figure! My mind cannot comprehend it!
Just yesterday, I was reflecting on verse 13 in Psalm 139. Malaya and I were searching through the craft department of Wal-Mart. I stumbled across the knitting needles - I don't knit - but I couldn't help but pause for just a moment and wonder what size needle did it take for God to 'knit me together in my mother's womb"? I picture His hands as HUGE but His touch as so intricate that maybe the needles were too small to be seen by human eyes. Oh, excuse me - sometimes I get lost in my imagination of figurative words of scripture.
You see, in my very vivid imagination, I picture a scene something like this:
When the Creator set my heart beating inside my mother's womb, He placed His thumbprint right smack dab in the middle of it! As I grew, that print eventually developed into a throne. Then came the day - at least the first day - that God began to whisper to my heart - "Who do you choose to sit on the throne of your heart, Bevie?" I remember the first time I chose Him for real - the first time I claimed as the Lord of my life in public - right there in front of my church family.
But then came a day over 2 decades later, that I began to cry out to the Lord for help. I was doing everything 'right' I knew to do - my hands were so busy! but I had an unsettling in my heart. Through my tears, I begged Him for help - I knew there had to be more. I didn't know what else I could DO but I was certain there had to be more to walking with the Lord because His peace and His joy were not radiating in me. I was kneeling beside my bed begging Him with the same words over and over when suddenly, I felt certain He was writing a message on my heart: "Check your heart, darling daughter. Check your throne."
You see by this time in my life, I was married (to a minister) and the mother of 3 precious children. I adored Rick Ross. I have unbelievable maternal instincts. I was made to be a mama. But, clearly, my husband and my children do not belong on the throne of my heart. Would you agree with me that whatever God gives us for good, Satan can use as His playthings. (I just hate that about him.) I begged the Lord right then and there to help me, to show me, to guide me how to take those precious loves off His throne. Nothing belongs in that spot but God Himself. His throne only feels at peace when it gets to conform to Him.
Since that about 10 years ago, My Father continues to gently nudge me when something gets in the way of Him having His rightful place in my heart. Nothing else belongs there - not my self-identity, not my church family, not my profession, not ANYTHING - just Him. What a sweetness is found when God is seated on the throne of my heart. I think I'll close and do a throne-check for a few minutes. (I have to do it more frequently now I know what it is.) Won't you join me? Let's act like the princes and princesses we have been chosen to be!
Clean us up, Lord! We want to be yours! Reign in us, Father! Take a seat! We choose You as King of our hearts!
Can I get an amen?

3 comments:

Jeff said...

Amen.
Glad to see you blogging.

jenny biz said...

Thanks for the reminder! I know I try to fill it, daily, with other stuff!

Pearson Family said...

Amen Bevie.