The Lord will establish you as his holy people . . . if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience. (Deut. 28:9)
Expanded Passage: Deuteronomy 28:9-14
Our new home not only met our predetermined needs, but included many items from our wish list too. It was all we hoped for and more, yet somehow the house didn’t quite feel like home. Everything was different from our last house. The heater made a strange noise when kicking on. The pantry area was disorganized. The artwork didn’t seem to fit with the high living room walls. There were new neighbors’ names to learn.
I struggled for weeks with this strange, unsettled feeling until after weeks of living there I finally got used to the noises, found spots for our furniture and art, and organized the closets, I even walked the perimeter checking out all the flowerbeds. Getting to know the house from all sides, inside and out, turned my house into a home.
I think of the old concept of our hearts having many rooms. God asks us to open wide our hearts allowing him to take complete ownership of every space, inside and out. He wants us to walk in obedience to his commands in our hearts, minds, relationships, and jobs. When we give God every part of our lives through confession, repentance, and obedience, we allow him to establish us as his holy people. We become sacred, set apart, and dedicated to God. And the world sees the difference.
Ask God to reveal rooms in you where he doesn’t have possession.
Beth Gormong is a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University (IN) and serves at Wesleyan Publishing House. She spends her free time at the library reading and writing.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
