'Day One' Blog,  Vulnerabilities

Vulnerabilities – Occupancy

The conversation started in the last post has three arms to it. Under the umbrella of Vulnerabilities are Points of Entry, Occupancy and Suitors. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version:

I have certain points of entry (vulnerabilities) that all have as their end-point, my heart.
There are suitors that vie for entrance through those points of entry.
I am the doorkeeper.
I attentively monitor activity at my points of entry.
I always choose who it is I allow to enter.
I understand that the suitors’ objective is to make their way to the throne of my heart. Whoever occupies that throne is the focus of my worship.
I make it my earnest business to identify and know the suitors, stewarding my task as doorkeeper wisely.

~

The Lord sits enthroned
as King forever.
~ Psalm 29:10 ~

The throne of my heart is never vacant. Someone is seated there, even at this moment. I choose… I ALWAYS choose its occupant. Each of us can recall a time when we have had to de-throne an idol from occupying that sacred place at the center of our hearts. And if we love Jesus, we can also attest to the experience of having Him in that vital position.

Looking at Occupancy is nothing more than acknowledging who it is that resides within me. Find the occupant and you know who you worship. Find the occupant and you know who receives your devotion, energy, and attention.

The most reliable way I know to honestly own who I worship is to stop and think: Am I willfully striving to push through some aspect of life, to get to a place I want to be. Conversely, I pay attention to whether I am inwardly peaceful, sure, or secure. Paramount is this: is the truth of The Word of God playing out in my decisions, and is it informing my emotions?

Doesn’t matter if I’m in a storm or not, the litmus-test is the same. If I’m able to offer praise and can recite those things for which I’m grateful (even and especially if I do not FEEL it); if I’m conscious of Jesus’ nearness and open to His pervasive influence, I know He occupies the Throne.

Absolutely EVERYTHING contrary to that litmus-test; everything or person or desire that would cause me to release my grip on Jesus and grab hold of something else, gives me pause so that I might ask the Lord: Am I about to open the door to someone other than You?

Who occupies the throne of my heart? Who has my heart’s devotion? As much as I am responsible for the occupancy, I am capable of un-seating a lesser love, and inviting Jesus to take His rightful place.

Then certain of the elders of Israel
came to me and sat before me.
And the word of the Lord came to me:
“Son of man, these men have taken
their idols into their hearts,
and set the stumbling block of their iniquity
before their faces.
Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them?
Therefore speak to them and say to them,
Thus says the Lord God:
Anyone of the house of Israel
who takes his idols into his heart
and sets the stumbling block
of his iniquity before his face,
and yet comes to the prophet,
I the Lord will answer him as he comes
with the multitude of his idols,
that I may lay hold of the hearts
of the house of Israel,
who are all estranged from me through their idols.
~ Ezekiel 14:1-5 ~

5 Comments

  • Nancy

    Jesus, we pray you will be allowed to reign unrivaled on the throne of our hearts. Help us to guard our hearts with the shield of faith — not letting anything contrary to you enter in. Billy Graham once said, “Two conflicting forces cannot exist in one human heart. When doubt reigns, faith cannot abide. Where hatred rules, love is crowded out. Where selfishness rules, there love cannot dwell.” Help us Lord, to guard our hearts, and to abide in you. I love how you so practically express these things, Anne.

  • kathie

    Absolutely everything contrary to the lit-mus test that causes me to release my grip and grab for something else…..

    That paragraph was very powerful Anne! I love how you take me and so many others into the deep to unlock areas of our life that need transformation from the Father. XO

  • Gail

    Hello My Friend Anne,
    I love to read your blog….it always makes me really have to think hard!! Which is good for me!! I have to read it several times because my reading comprehension has always been a point of frustration. But, none the less it is good for me to be challenged, and your blog always does that!! There is no peace like knowing that our wonderful God is on the throne of my heart!!! It is never my intention for Him not to be but in this crazy life we live it happens and when it does……that is when fear, worry, doubt and “self” stomps out God’s joy and peace!! Thanks once again for sharing what’s on your heart!! Love and appreciate you sister!!

  • MB

    Wow. Wow.
    Wow. Wow. Wow.

    This line: “The most reliable way I know to honestly own who I worship is to stop and think about whether I’m striving, by my own will, to push through some aspect of life, to get to a place I want to be.”

    Operative term: stop and think. I don’t. Either one.

    I need to stop and think about that…dang.

    xo!
    mb

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