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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Space (01/23/06)
“How will we ever fill all this space?” I thought, looking through the empty house.

We had deleted a large portion of 15 years worth of accumulation through a garage sale to make the move more manageable, so I was visualizing the new place with its extra 200 square feet, plus a finished basement and a larger garage, as looking pretty sparse.

Not to worry. Once the furniture was in place the rooms weren’t nearly as large as they had seemed, and we had to make a second U-Haul run just to get hubby’s things from the garage moved. Deciding where to put things was still a problem, because there were so many places to choose from.

That was three years ago, and I believe we now have more than we had before the garage sale. It just goes to show…the stuff expands to fit the space allotted! It must multiply at night when the lights are out. Like sin.

Like Jesus’ parable about the dangers of an empty heart in Matthew 12:43-45, where He tells about the evil spirit unable to find a place of rest after leaving a man’s heart. Finally the evil spirit says, “I will return to the house I left.” (NIV) Going back and finding its former dwelling clean and orderly with lots of room, all its buddies are invited to move in and party.

One way or another the space will be filled, either with things you want or things you don’t want. A heart that has been cleansed from sin is a good thing, but a heart that is left empty is an invitation to invasion. It will be filled with whatever is comforting and comfortable to you, and the only way to move out of the old comfort zone of sin is to create a new one filled with new sources of comfort

Decluttering experts say that a good rule to follow is: When you bring in something new, take out something else. Let’s turn that one around: When you take out something old (a sin), bring in something new (Scripture and Bible study, Christian radio programs and music, fellowship with other believers, a good Bible-teaching church, etc.) It starts with your honored Guest. Once Jesus has taken up residence in your heart, you will want to eliminate the things that He is not comfortable with and replace them with things that enable His Spirit to redecorate your “house.”

Keep the lights on, fill the empty places, and don’t give Satan a chance to party in your heart.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Virginia Gorg
02/02/06
Good reminder of letting Christ fill our empty spaces.
A few spots of awkward wording ("from the garage moved"), but overall nicely done.
Suzanne R
02/07/06
Oh, I identify with the concept of things multiplying and filling all the empty spaces. I'm several months into a new apartment - the largest I've ever lived in - and it is indeed filling up. The way you then brought a spiritual lesson from that was well done - easy to remember because we can all identify with the lead-in. Good writing.