The little room at the top of the stairs in my 2-story house is a sanctuary these days. It's a place where I go to do my Bible study, listen to my music, and ponder the grace of God. It's painted in a bright color, it's warm, and it's a place where I feel close to God. But this room wasn't always like this....no....this room use to be a place where a mama's heart would sorrow, a place where her child transformed from being cheerful and eager-to-please, to sullen, private, and distant. This room used to bring fear to my heart each time I passed by, wondering what things might be hidden there....or what I may not find there. How many times did that teenager sneak out the bedroom window and drop to the ground and disappear into the night as I slept right down the hall? It's those kinds of things that bring fear to a mama's heart. Oh, it wasn't always that way....at one time it was a place where I read stories, decorated the wall with a big tree filled with birds and bugs, and prayed and kissed the child goodnight.
I suppose if walls could really talk, we would learn alot. If these 4 walls could tell a story, it would be a 16 year long story of joys and sorrows and secrets. Kind of like the walls of my heart.
My child is grown and gone now, but this mama still longs for transformation. Transformation of hearts.
This room is filled with a close sense of the presence of God. Could it be, that one day that child's heart would be transformed like this room? Could it be that what was once dark, would be filled with the Light of hope and the warmth of love, and filled with a close sense of the presence of God? Like this room, that child's heart was once a place of joyful stories, prayers, and kisses....and I believe it still is. The walls of this room haven't changed....neither has the carpet or the door or the windows. But instead of windows used for running away, they are used to let light in and fresh spring air. You see...our hearts are capable of many things. It's what we fill them with that matters. We can fill them with joyful stories, prayers, and kisses.....or we can allow the sullen confusion to drive us out the window to escape into the darkness.
My child has a sweet sweet heart. There has never been a day that I didn't believe that. No matter what, there is a strong and powerful love that keeps me fixed on that truth. I'm drawn to that sweetness....and nothing will ever change that. My child will always be my sweet child. Even in the messiness of life. God sees me and you that way too. I can't count the many times I have grieved Him with my words or actions. The walls of my heart have seen sullen, and dark times. There have been times when I have "snuck out the windows" of my heart and gone out into the darkness. But He always knows where I am.....and He ALWAYS LOVES ME. I am His child....and because of that, no matter what happens in life, He is drawn to me by that love.....and NOTHING can ever snatch me from His embrace.
Every parent longs to see their prodigal children come home. We wait, we watch, we pray, and we keep loving and loving and loving. And when they come running, we meet them with open arms of forgiveness and unfathomable joy. I am sitting in this sanctuary of a room right now, and I feel His loving arms around me as I share in intimate relationship with Abba, Son, and Spirit. He is waiting with open arms for all of His prodigals to come home.....the door is open.
Come home sweet children. He loves you.
