Make Room for Me

A guest post by:  
Bruce Nevin Haines 

“Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things (including time) will be given to you.”
Matthew 6:33

I had recently uttered a quick prayer to God and He unexpectedly and immediately replied. This was not an audible voice, but it might as well have been. The prompting from his Spirit was so swift and clear it actually unsettled me. This was the type of unsettling that would come from an unexpected correction or chiding. It leaves your ego a bit bruised, and gives you that “How could I have not known this?” thought that makes us feel a bit foolish. 

Here is the quick prayer that I uttered: “God step into my life in new ways,” 

“Then make room for me!” was God’s immediate reply.  

I was stunned. I sat there and tried to unpack this two-line conversation. The answer was very fitting and appropriate to the question I had posed. God was of course right in his reply. But the way that I phrased the prayer was equally as telling.   

In reality, my invitation for God to step in was putting all the responsibility on Him. I did not recognize that the room required for Him to step into was not there. I was not a good steward of my time and resources, and in that moment God let me know. 

God’s Sovereignty is always present in our lives. But He does not rule and manage our time and resources for us. We are stewards, just as Adam and Eve were stewards of the Garden of Eden. We are to steward our lives in a manner that gives God the time He desires so that our relationship with Him will be thriving and nurtured. God is always faithful to His part. He will sometimes surprise us and step in unannounced. But He also wants for us to invite Him in.

Providing a reasonable space for a guest to stay is a courteous and responsible thing to do. We prepare. We make room. Often things need to be removed in order to make this room. I have a tendency to complain about my lack of time to get things done. But at some point I have to assess what is it that I really need to do?
How does God really want me to steward the time He has given me in my present circumstances?
If I feel like I am stepping into a crowded elevator, then it will be easier to enter after someone else leaves. Let us prayerfully consider what is taking up space in our own lives that otherwise would be used for God to step into.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)