The Heart (Part 4)

Season 2 Episode 43 -- In this episode, we continue our look at a wonderful (and challenging) word picture of our heart, and our interactions with Christ as we take Him on a tour of the rooms of our heart, symbolic of the areas of our lives.  Today, we will look at the playroom (the room of amusements, friendships, and activities), and the hall closet (where some secret things are hidden).  How do these rooms of our heart relate to our walk with Christ?  Listen and find out!

"Reflect on This" is a once-weekly, short devotional podcast. In these devotionals, I share the things I am learning about the ways and nature of God, through applying my study of the Scriptures to life, in practical and fulfilling ways.
 
If you like the podcast, please tell your friends and family about it, and subscribe/follow it, because it helps others to find the podcast more easily.
 
Resources that inspired some episodes:

"My Heart, Christ's Home" by Robert Munger

"The Language of Rivers and Stars" by Seth Lewis

“Dream Small:  The Secret Power of the Ordinary Christian Life” by Seth Lewis

 Seth Lewis blog:  https://sethlewis.ie/

35 Bible Verses About Listening To Others (Explained) - Bible Repository 

"Restoration Year: Devotions to Transform Your Relationships, Spirit, and Faith" by John Eldredge

"Boundaries" by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

"The Pleasure of His Company" by Dutch Sheets

"Fresh Air" by Chris Hodges

“The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary Chapman

"The Lies We Believe: Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life" by Dr. Chris Thurman

Featured ministries and resources:
 
“Agape Puppets” (ministry)
This is an amazing world-wide ministry that uses puppet shows to reach children (and their parents) for Christ, in cultures that are generally not very open to the Gospel.  To learn more, go to: https://theagapepuppets.org/ 

"Manufacture Good" (ministry)
 Manufacture Good is a Christian ministry that offers paid apprenticeships to men who need a second chance.  These apprentices learn biblical principles, character, and valuable woodworking and metalworking skills which lead to employment opportunities.  You can shop their catalog of fine home and office products, order a standard or custom piece of furniture, make a donation, and learn more about this amazing ministry, at: https://manufacturegood.org/.

"The World and Everything in It" (podcast)
This is a weekday 35-minute podcast that presents headline news, in-depth news articles, media reviews, and opinion pieces from a Christian world view.  Their stated mission is "biblically objective journalism that informs, educates, and inspires."
 
“Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage” (podcast) 
This is a once a week 30-minute podcast hosted by Greg and Erin Smalley, who head up the marriage team at Focus on the Family.  Each episode addresses a different aspect of marriage, using biblical principles, featured guests, practical advice, and a mixture of humor and candidness.  
 
"e-Sword" (Bible study software)
This study tool includes many free (and low-cost) resources, including Bibles, dictionaries, commentaries, and devotionals.  It allows you to simultaneously view verses and their corresponding cross-references, lexicon entries, commentaries, and more.
On your computer, go to e-sword.net
On your mobile device, go to your app store and search for “e-sword.” 

Music credits:
Beauty by MaxKoMusic | https://maxkomusic.com/
Music promoted by https://www.chosic.com/free-music/all

Transcript

Let’s continue looking at excerpts from “My Heart, Christ’s Home” by Robert Munger.  It is a simple yet challenging word picture of our heart, and our interactions with Christ as we take Him on a tour of the rooms of our heart, symbolic of the areas of our lives.  Let’s continue this tour where we left off in the last episode – at the playroom of our heart.

THE PLAYROOM 

I remember the time [Christ] inquired about the playroom. I was hoping he would not ask me about that. There were certain associations and friendships, activities and amusements that I wanted to keep for myself. I did not think Christ would enjoy them or approve of them so I evaded the question.

But there came an evening when I was leaving to join some companions -- I was in college at the time -- and as I was about to cross the threshold, he stopped me with a glance. "Are you going out?"

I answered, "Yes."

"Good," he said, "I would like to go with you."

"Oh," I replied rather awkwardly. "I don't think, Lord, that you would really want to go with us. Let's go out tomorrow night. Tomorrow night we will go to prayer meeting, but tonight I have another appointment."

He said, "That's all right. Only I thought when I came into your home we were going to do everything together. We were going to be partners. I want you to know that I am willing to go with you."

"Well," I said, "we will go some place together tomorrow night."

But that evening I spent some miserable hours. I felt wretched. What kind of friend was I to Christ, when I was deliberately leaving him out of my associations, doing things and going places that I knew very well he would not enjoy? When I returned that evening, there was a light in his room and I went up to talk it over with him. I said, "Lord, I have learned my lesson. I cannot have a good time without you. We will do everything together from now on."

Let me pause the story here for a moment.  This dialog about the playroom reminds me of this verse:

Colossians 3:17 HCSB  And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Now, back to the story:

THE HALL CLOSET

There is just one more matter that I might share with you. One day I found him waiting for me at the door. There was an arresting look in his eye. He said to me as I entered, "There is a peculiar odor in the house. There is something dead around here. It's upstairs. I think it is in the hall closet." As soon as he said the words, I knew what he was talking about. Yes, there was a small hall closet behind lock and key in which I had one or two little personal things that I did not want anybody to know about, and certainly I did not want Christ to see. I knew they were dead and rotting things. And yet I loved them, and I wanted them so for myself that I was afraid to admit they were there. I went up the stairs with him and as we mounted, the odor became stronger and stronger. He pointed at the door and said, "It's in there! Some dead thing!"

I was angry. That's the only way I can put it. I had given him access to the library, the dining room, the drawing room, the workshop, the playroom, and now he was asking me about a little two-by-four closet. I said inwardly, "This is too much. I am not going to give him the key."

"Well," he said, reading my thoughts, "if you think I am going to stay up here on the second floor with this odor, you are mistaken. I will take my bed out on the back porch. I'm certainly not going to put up with that." And I saw him start down the stairs.

When you have come to know and love Christ, the worst thing that can happen to you is to sense his fellowship retreating from you. I had to surrender. "I'll give you the key," I said sadly, "but you'll have to open the closet. You'll have to clean it out. I haven't the strength to do it."

"I know," he said. "I know you haven't. Just give me the key. Just authorize me to take care of that closet and I will." So, with trembling fingers I passed the key over to him. He took it from my hand, walked over to the door, opened it, entered it, took out all the putrefying stuff that was rotting there and threw it away. Then he cleansed the closet, painted it, fixed it up, doing it all in a moment's time. 

Let me pause the story again.  This dialog about cleaning up the hall closet reminds me of this verse:

Ezekiel 36:26 ESV And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Can you identify with the word picture of the playroom and the hall closet of your heart?  For example, are there activities in your life in which you have chosen to leave Christ out?  Do you identify with the feelings of misery in those moments that Munger describes?  And are there stinky areas of your heart (like that hall closet) that you do not have the courage or strength to clean out on your own?  Munger encourages us to invite Christ into these rooms of our heart, give Him the key, and let Him do the heavy lifting for us.

The playroom (the room of amusements, friendships, and activities), and the hall closet (where some embarrassing and secret things are hidden).  Will you heed Munger’s admonitions regarding these rooms of your heart?

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”