Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Monday, August 5, 2013

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."¹

In the words of the following poem, today's Daily Encounter poses a very interesting question and challenge:

If Jesus came to your house
To spend some time with you,
If He came unexpected,
I wonder what you'd do.

Oh, I know you'd give your nicest room
To such an honored guest
And all the food you'd give to Him
Would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him
You're glad to have Him thereâ€"
That serving Him in your home
Is joy beyond compare.

But when you saw Him coming,
Would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome
To your heavenly visitor?

Or would you have to change your clothes
Before you let Him in
Or hide some magazines
And put the Bible where they'd been?

Would you hide your worldly music
and put some hymn books out?
Could you let Jesus walk right
in, or would you rush about?

And I wonderâ€"if the Savior
spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing, the
things you always do?

Would you go right on saying, the
things you always say?
Or would life for you continue
as it does from day to day?

Would you take Jesus with you
everywhere you go?
Or would you maybe change your
plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him
meet your closest friends?
Or would you hope they stay away,
until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him
stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great
relief when He at last was gone?

It might be interesting to know,
the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person, to spend
some time with you.²

Perhaps this poem might be better entitled, "If Jesus Came to My House." If He did come to my house, I wonder what I would do. How about you?

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to so live in harmony with your will that if Jesus came in person to my house today, I would not in any way be embarrassed or ashamed. So help me God. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV).
2. Credited to Lois Blanchard Eades.

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