There's a song that our worship band does called "We wait for you (Shekinah Glory)" and it is the most amazing worship song. If you've never heard it, go look it up!
The song opens with the lyrics: "we wait for you to walk in the room." I've always thought of that line in a very literal sense: "God, come into the room. We're ready to worship you." But, as we sang it last Sunday, I heard something very different.
God doesn't just want to come into the physical rooms of our lives. God wants us to make room for Him in every aspect of our lives.
Imagine a room so crowded with people you can hardly get from one side to the other. I was in a room like that recently. People were constantly bumping into each other. Everything moved very slowly. You couldn't hear what the person next to you was saying and if you walked away from the person you were with it was extremely hard to find them again.
I believe that sometimes the situations in our lives get just like that. Our minds get crowded with our worries, our fears and the advice of others until that's all we can hear. We struggle to shift our focus from our own plans and ideas for our lives. Our many unnecessary responsibilities keep us busy and steal our time. Our unbelief puts a limit on God's power.
We wonder where God is, but even if He tried to come in we wouldn't notice Him.
If there is a situation in your life that God doesn't seem to be working on my question to you is: have you made room for Him to work on it? God can't move if He doesn't have any space.
The word shekinah comes from the Hebrew word shekinot which means to "settle in" or "dwell in." Whatever area of your life that God seems absent in, clear a space for Him to dwell in so that you can experience the fullness of His presence. That may mean freeing up some time to spend in God's word and prayer. It might mean surrendering your plans for your life so God can show you His plan. Maybe it means taking a leap of faith that doesn't make sense to you yet. Whatever it is, allow Him to settle in that free space today and do what only He can do.
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:16-19
I listened to the song and I'm in love with it. I'm not sure if my church has done this song yet, but hopefully they will. The line we wait for you also reminds me of the song Holy Spirit You Are Welcome Here. I know there have been times in my life where I let other things crowd God out. I love these songs that remind us to let God into all aspects of our lives. Thank you for this great post!
ReplyDeleteFunny you say that because we sang Holy Spirit right after this one! Thank you for reading and taking the time to comment!
DeleteI think of Jesus speaking to those who "seek to kill me because My word has no place in you" (John 8:37). Believers certainly don't want to kill Jesus, but having no room in hearts equal Spirit quenching. Sobering thought.
DeleteI really enjoyed this post! I'm currently going through a season where I am working on "clearing out" the clutter of my soul's room so that God can fit in. I need to go look up that song! Thanks for the encouragement.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading! Glad you enjoyed it and definitely look up the song! You'll love it!
DeleteWhat a beautiful definition of the word shekinah! I am excited to listen to the song!
ReplyDeleteIt really does have a beautiful meaning! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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