What Will You Decide?
Over the Christmas holidays, I came across this social media post that says, "Each of us is an innkeeper who decides if there is room for Jesus." I found this statement to be very thought-provoking and have been meditating on it for days. My first reaction was, "I always have room for Jesus in my inn." Yet as I truly reflected, I slowly discovered that my first reaction was far from the truth.
Contemplating my actions as the Innkeeper, I realized that there were many times I have decided not to leave room for Jesus in my inn. I am certainly guilty of being too busy, filling my days with many activities that I leave no available room for Jesus. The obvious are the times when I'm working in my job or helping with the many ministries that I'm involved with at church. Of course, taking care of my family takes priority over my time and it's an appropriate use of my time. The less obvious are all the times that I choose to spend time watching movies or TV, scrolling through social media on my mobile devices, playing mindless games on my phone, or listening to the news. These are all situations in which I fill my inn rather than opening the door for Jesus to come in. I consciously or unconsciously put out my "no vacancy" sign.
Life is chaotic! It's so easy to let the busyness take priority. And don't get me wrong, staying busy is not a sin! But it's a distraction that keeps me from focusing on God and lose sight of His calling in my life.
As I reflected on my distractions, it reminded me of the book, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It is the story of a Sr. demon, Screwtape, who is training his nephew, Wormwood, on how to handle humans. In the letter, he writes, "BUT steal their time, so they don’t have time to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ.” “This is what I want you to do,” said the devil: “Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection throughout their day!” “How shall we do this?” his demons shouted. “Keep them busy in the nonessentials of life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their minds,”
Satan doesn't have to do much to keep our minds off of the things of God. All he has to do is distract us from spending time with Him.
“He said, be still and know that I am God” Psalms 46:10. I don't struggle with knowing that God is in control. I have complete faith that He knows the plans for my life. I know deep in my heart that He wants the best for me. But I have to be willing to take a break from the noise and be still.
Being still is the best tactic against the many distractions in my life, yet sometimes so hard to do. It takes me a little while to quiet my mind down especially if my life has been very hectic. To be still, I often go to my prayer corner to pray and listen to God. Still doesn't necessarily mean just sitting down. It means stilling the mind and getting rid of the noise and distraction. This can be done by going on a walk, reading scripture, listening to the lyrics of a Christian song, or journaling.
Taking a break and listening to God is refreshing for the soul and ultimately, I become the innkeeper who has plenty of room for Jesus. I consciously decide to take down the "no vacancy" sign and welcome Jesus in.
The real question is, what will you decide to do?
As we begin the new year, let us be mindful of the noise and distractions that keep us from focusing on God. Let us thank God for the opportunity to be still and know that He is God. Let us intentionally be the innkeeper who decides to let Jesus in when He knocks on our door.
