We must be aware when we open our lives and our homes to His Guestness, that we, like Curdie, will experience a rosy fire. The Spirit must break our practice of the presence of self, and He does this by forging Himself into our inner being.
How often these last years have I been filled with that burning? There were times when I literally felt as though He grabbed my soul with His holy fist and lifted me up before His face with my feet dangling in midair and my tongue protesting “No, Lord, I can’t take anymore. No more, Lord. I’m weary of the painful growth.”
I am learning about those flames which burn but do not consume. I am learning about that fire which releases the odor and fragrance of roses and about that Guest who inhabits parlor of our souls, who banks the fireplace with ashes to keep the burning low or who uses the billows when the room has grown cold.
Life Response
Spend some time considering these personal questions/suggestions regarding the Immanent Guest:
- How would you rate the role of the Holy Spirit in your life? Use A. W. Tozer’s evaluation—Do you “have” the Spirit? Or, does the Spirit “have” you?
- Is the Spirit just a “downstairs” Guest, only allowed to occupy those company rooms?
- Has He as yet been invited into the expensive tool shop where the equipment is rusting from lack of use? Or, invited to those places where the beds are unmade or where sinks are filthy or closets cluttered?
Pray the following prayer of invitation. Pray it daily and then learn to listen when He knocks at one of the closed doors.
Welcome, Lord, our most immanent Guest. We open to You the doors of all these rooms, in life or heart or home.
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Through her Hungry Souls ministry, Karen Mains serves as a spiritual coach to many Christian women and men, and teaches a mentor-writing class. And, through the Global Bag Project, she is working to develop a network of African women who sew exquisite cloth reusable shopping bags. This micro-finance women opportunity helps provide a much-needed sustainable income for struggling African families. For more information on this critically important project, please click here.
Karen has long had an interest in Christian hospitality and is the author of the best-selling book, Open Heart, Open Home.
An award-winning author of several other books, Karen continues to write content for her Christian blog, “Thoughts-by-Karen-Mains.” In so doing, she desires to touch the lives of Christian women and men and help them find ways to walk closer with the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, through silent retreats, spiritual teaching, women’s retreats, Christian vacation opportunities, and other ministry activities, Karen helps each Christian woman and man receive vital spiritual food.
For decades, Karen and her husband, David, have served God through religious communications—radio, television, and print publication. The are the co-authors of the Kingdom Tales Trilogy: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance, and Tales of the Restoration. To find many valuable resources for pastors and churches at the Mainstay Ministries main website, please click here.
Likewise, pastors will find special resources to help them prepare effective, life-transforming Sunday sermons by visiting David Mains’ website by clicking here.
