Pink dolphins in the amazon, wild horses on the Guyana plains, red parrots in the Iwokrama forest in Guyana, coconuts of varies kinds just falling from trees around you, small wild mangoes, cake for breakfast, free condensed milk coffee on the amazon, acai, brigadeiro and more acai...
Sao Paulo Brazil. The first thought that popped into my mind about the people here was: ''Wow these people are really entering my personal space with all these hug-and-kiss-on-the-cheek greetings!'' Lets just say physical touch did not score very high on my love languages test. But nonetheless I felt loved. I felt at home. One of the phrases we heard alot over the past few weeks was: ''Make yourself at home, do what you like, eat whatever you can find in the cupboards (sooooo dangerous!!), our home is your home." And they meant it.
It made me think alot on how we welcome people into our homes. It also made me think about how we welcome Jesus into our homes and into our hearts.
Do I truly allow Him to do anything He wants in my heart and life? Does He feel totally at home in my heart? Or are there rooms where He is not allowed? Are there some cupboards that I keep locked?
We are quick to quote Psalm 23:
The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide and shield me], I shall not lack.
But do we even know what this means?
In Sao Paulo I was going through an interesting time where I was a bit depressed and basically only thinking of myself with regards to this year's journey. Jesus very clearly asked me: ''Am I enough for you?''
The scary thing was, in my heart I knew that at that moment He wasn't enough. I wanted earthly things to bring me joy. I needed earthly things to give me strength. He wasn't allowed in every room.
He started to show me the locked cupboards and the ''no entry'' rooms. He showed me that I had to unlock the cupboards and that He won't enter into a room with a ''no entry'' sign on it. He also showed me that it is useless to do it out of my own strength. He will bring me the cutter to cut the locks and He will give me a chair to take the signs off.
Within 20 minutes (now this is a real miracle) He changed my heart with regards to the little issue I had and gave me peace that surpasses all understanding. What a victory to be able to say that He is my Shepherd and I do not lack ANYTHING!
Habakkuk 3:17-19
17 Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls,
18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation! [Rom. 8:37]
19 The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!
May you live by His indwelling Spirit and know Him in everything you do. May you know and understand Him personally and practically. May you have an open door policy in your heart for the King of the universe that is living inside of you!*