A devotional by Tessa Huckstep
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” –Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)
How do you decorate your house? Do you go all out for Christmas? Do you keep decorations simple throughout the year, or do you find yourself constantly changing the decor?
As I am writing this devotional, we are in the middle of preparing for Christmas. Decorations are everywhere–lights, garland, poinsettias, and nutcrackers. Christmas decorations are special and I always feel sad after Christmas when returning these beloved treasures to storage until the next Christmas season. However, as we look to the next year, I want to start thinking about a different kind of decoration.
I love the spiritual metaphor of our hearts resembling a house. Jesus Christ knocks on the door of our heart and when we open the door, we accept Him as our Savior. Jesus Christ, coming to this Earth to be our Savior, is what Christmas is all about. When you let Him in, He stays and lives in your heart. When I surrendered my whole heart to Jesus, I handed over the keys to each and every door in my heart. He is the ultimate decision maker in every area of my life—including when I need to decide what decorations I put up in my heart.
The three verses from the Bible book of Colossians at the beginning of this devotional list the decorations that a Christian should put up in their heart. The King James Version says that we are to put on mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, forgiveness, and charity–these are the things which beautify the heart and life of a Christian. We could choose not to put up these decorations in our hearts for the coming year. We could choose to put up decorations of envy, hate, bitterness, strife, unforgiveness. But if we do choose to put up negative decorations in our hearts, it will depress and disappoint us.
Have you ever walked into a house that was decorated poorly? How did it make you feel? How does walking into a beautifully decorated house make you feel? A beautifully decorated atmosphere always makes me feel welcomed and at peace which is exactly how others will feel around you when you put up the decorations of Colossians 3:12-14 in your heart.
As we put away Christmas decorations and look to the coming year, let us not neglect the decorating that needs to be done in our hearts. Decorating is intentional, takes time, and requires effort. Choose the decorations of your heart carefully. Remember, Jesus Christ is now the owner of your heart so decorate in a way that will please Him and make Him feel welcomed.
Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for entering our hearts and dwelling with us. Please help us to remember that our heart is Your home and we are to decorate it as You see fit. Help us to choose our decorations wisely and keep them throughout the coming year. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection: “Always Be My Home” by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.
~*~
Author Bio:
Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois. She was born to Christian parents and has known Jesus Christ personally since the age of five.
Currently, Tessa is attending community college and majoring in elementary education. In the future, she plans to teach in the public school system, hoping to bring the love of God with her.
Tessa enjoys being active in her local church. She serves as a co-teacher for the two-to-five year old class where there is never a dull moment.
It is Tessa’s passion to be a girl after God’s own heart and through her studying of God’s Word, Tessa longs to draw closer to her Savior. Through her writing, she longs to take others with her on this journey of faith.
Tessa loves all things Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size.
When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, she can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!
~*~
Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/
As we put away Christmas decorations and look to the coming year, let us not neglect the decorating that needs to be done in our hearts. Decorating is intentional, takes time, and requires effort. Choose the decorations of your heart carefully. Remember, Jesus Christ is now the owner of your heart so decorate in a way that will please Him and make Him feel welcomed.
Let’s Pray: Dear Lord, thank You for entering our hearts and dwelling with us. Please help us to remember that our heart is Your home and we are to decorate it as You see fit. Help us to choose our decorations wisely and keep them throughout the coming year. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Song of Reflection: “Always Be My Home” by Rachael Lampa. Listen to it here.
~*~
Author Bio:
Tessa Huckstep grew up in rural Illinois. She was born to Christian parents and has known Jesus Christ personally since the age of five.
Tessa enjoys being active in her local church. She serves as a co-teacher for the two-to-five year old class where there is never a dull moment.
It is Tessa’s passion to be a girl after God’s own heart and through her studying of God’s Word, Tessa longs to draw closer to her Savior. Through her writing, she longs to take others with her on this journey of faith.
Tessa loves all things Regency, needlework, and dainty teacups of every size.
When she isn’t writing or studying for exams, she can be found in the kitchen with more flour in her hair and on the floor than in the bowl, though the mess is always half the fun!
~*~
Connect with Tessa:
Blog: https://beautifulbeloved937002841.wordpress.com/
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