After hearing the sermon at my church on Sunday, I was inspired to write this little devotion in time for my bible study group this week. Some of the members of our group asked if I’d give them a copy, so here it is. I hope you like it, even if you’re not a christian.

Imagine your heart as a room, a room you have prepared for God to live. This room is perfect in every way — clean, spick and span.

You live there too. It’s your heart, and you and God share it.

It didn’t used to be clean. It was once like a dirty old store room, full of dust and dirt and some big old cardboard boxes you didn’t really want to open.

But here you are, in this room with God, sharing the space. You are both having a good time.

God decides to take a look around. He sees a white cloth that seems to hiding something. He takes the cloth off gently, and reveals the boxes, still crusted up with the thick grey dust of years gone by. He also sees some brand new boxes, still kind of shiny.

You’d forgotten you had put the boxes there. Just remembering that they are still there after all this time is painful.

You know what is in the boxes. He knows what is in the boxes. You know you should have gotten rid of the boxes, but you can’t put the boxes anywhere else — no-one will take them.

Except Jesus.

Jesus pops in and spies the boxes. Wanting to get the boxes out of your life, you run over and grab a box, giving it to Jesus. He gladly takes it, and starts prying apart the flaps on the top of the box. Afraid, you quickly hit the flaps out of his hand and hold the box shut.

“I know it’s painful to remember what you’ve done, but if you want to stop doing it, you’ll need to understand the reasons behind why you continue to do what you do.”

You know he’s right. The box is there, and you know he’s here to help. Together, you open the box and begin unpacking it, sorting through its contents.

It really hurts. Countless times during the time that passes you are brought to tears. And the more you dig through the box, the more things you find. The box is deeper than it looks.

After a long time, you find a long forgotten memory. It hurts so much to recall it. You want to just close the lid and forget it ever happened.

But Jesus takes it in his hands, and shows you that he was there.

You struggle to take it in. Do you believe it? He was there. In one of the most painful memories of your life. It’s unbelievable. But it’s true. He was always there. He is always there.

. . .

There’s a lot more boxes in the corner, and the memories of what lies within start flying around your head. Dealing with those boxes is gonna take some time. What will you do with the boxes?

… do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? …1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV