Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. ~ Matthew 28:20
The Lenten 40, Day 2
How many times have you said to someone, “Stop over anytime!” …and feel so comfortable saying so, wanting your home to be a welcoming place.
Then you get the call – or the knock at the door – and that casual but unexpected visitor(s) arrives. Yikes! We start the scramble of tidying up; often this entails just shoving stuff into drawers and closets willy-nilly, just to get the clutter out of sight.
When your home is relatively “together” in time for the guests to enter, you heave a sigh of relief, the messiness of normal life carefully concealed.
Lent is about inviting Christ in – to our minds and hearts – as we desire a deeper relationship with Him.
What kind of environment do we offer Him? And where do we hide our “messes”?
Today’s devotional talks about a 98 year old woman named Elfreida, who lived in a somewhat drab room with 3 other women in a senior care facility. Muyskens describes her as one of the happiest people he has ever known, namely because “the presence of Christ gave her joy despite her meager circumstances.”
Today I ask myself these questions: how can I better create a welcoming inner environment to gladly receive the presence of God? And how do I clean up the detritus of my failings so He will comfortably stay a while? And can I truly learn to be joyful no matter what challenges are before me?
The fact is, God is indwelling – and as much as we try, we can’t hide anything from Him. We need to feel the warmth of His presence, accept His unconditional love , and allow this inner transformation to proceed.
The more we sit in quiet prayer with Him, the greater awareness we have of Christ’s presence in every one of our life circumstances.
He is the Ultimate Guest – let’s offer Him an open invitation into our hearts…and let our joyful spirits prevail.
Today’s Lectio – Matthew 28:16-20
My Word – WITH My Phrase – WITH YOU ALWAYS
Christ dwells within, always and forever. That thought alone brings peace and hope beyond compare.
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beWARM 
There is one translation of this text that says, “And remember, I am with you always, YES, even to the end of time.” Emphasis on the “YES” is mine. I love that … I am with you … YES … to the end of time. There is something definitive and positive and life-affirming to that YES. An exuberance. A promise. May it be so!