Open Home, Open Heart

He comes happily to places that welcome Him. He is so glad to be there! For we are His greatest joy! Just being with us is His heart's desire. But there must be a welcoming on our part.

So OPEN today. Open your heart. Say YES to Him. For how can any friend come in and share a meal with you if you have not first opened your door to greet him and let him enter? In the same way, welcome the Holy One who 'stands at the door and knocks.' And when your friend comes in, do they just assume they can touch everything in your home? No, you offer to him the things he is allowed to touch. And so it is with the Son of Man. He comes as a gentlemen and will not push down the boundaries you make for Him. But if your friend is more like a brother, will you not let him have full range of your home? You might say, "Friend, come and sit and sleep and eat; my home is your home. Please make yourself comfortable." And so it is with the Friend that sticks closer than a brother. You can go beyond welcoming Him for just surface conversation. You welcome Him into the deeper parts of your home/your heart as you say, "My home is your home, dear Friend. You are more than a visitor. You are a Brother, a trusted Brother. And I trust You inside my home. I trust You will handle everything with care, for You fully respect me. You do not come to steal or harm. You come to make my home more beautiful than it was when You first walked in. You are welcome here. You are welcome to all of it."

And with full respect and love, He steps in. And your heart is forever impacted for the good as you are free to talk, laugh, cry... You are free to be yourself with Him all the days of your life.

***

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/116/rev.3.20.NLT

…But there is a [true, loving] friend who [is reliable and] sticks closer than a brother.

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭24‬ ‭AMP‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1588/pro.18.24.AMP