Make Room

Day 9 – December 5

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. [Mark 12:30 ESV]

I think there may be one of those pastor jokes when you get to a scripture like this that says something like, “Do you know what all means in the original language? It means ALL!” (I looked it up. It’s true! All, whole, completely.)

If we’re going to love God with ALL our heart, ALL our soul, ALL our mind, and ALL our strength – that really doesn’t leave room for anything else. There’s no longer room for our worries or fears, our own priorities or selfish ambitions, our sin or lies from the enemy that we allow to take up space where they don’t belong. 

Our ability to love God with ALL is greatly affected by what else is cluttering up our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. As we continue to prepare for Christmas together, it’s time to make room. Let Him in. All of the rooms, all of the corners. The places in the light, and the places we think we have cleverly hidden in the shadows. He knows what is there anyway. Flush out the old, make room for the new. Get rid of the junk and invite Him to take up the space where He belongs. Choose to give your heart, soul, mind, and strength the capacity to love the Lord your God like never before. 

This Christmas or whatever season you find yourself in, the best gift you could give to yourself, your family, your friends, your church, your community, and your God is to fully, completely love Him with your ALL. 

God, help me to make room. Help me to remove the things that I have allowed to  take up space where you belong. Give me an undivided heart, whole and completely yours. Show me what life looks like when I am able to love you with ALL of my heart, ALL of my soul, ALL of my mind, and ALL of my strength. Amen.

Written by: Kylie McCracken