When Friends Come Visiting

     Imagine for just a moment that your closest friend is coming for a visit.  Oh, what a joy filled event it will be.  There will be time for eating, reminiscing about things of yester-year and best of all the camaradie of just being together.

     The first night you laughed and visited until well past bedtime; but bedtime was not nearly as important as the visiting itself.  However, when the morning came you of necessity went off to work and your friend stayed home.  You remark as you leave,  “I love you so much, make yourself at home."  Whatever is mine is yours.”

     Two days later when you returned from work you find that the friend has taken the liberty to use your bathroom and was sitting in your favorite recliner.  When you were asked if that was alright, you answered that it was, but you held a deep feeling of hostility in your heart.

     But the next day when you arrived home your friend was using her ability as an accountant to balance your personal checkbook.  This was the last straw and after giving your friend a terrible tongue-lashing you felt better.  When the morning dawned you discover that your friend has left with no note left behind. 

     Sounds preposterous, you say.  Such a thing happens all the time with the Christian and the Holy Spirit.  Ah, the joy when he first came in, not for a visit, but to stay the course.  You said, “Come on in, my life is your life.”  For a while, everything was rosy.  Oh, what a joyous time you had.  Gradually, you wanted to return to the old way of life and felt his nudging you in the right direction was a bother.  How dare Him to demand your Sundays.  It was the only day you had to play golf, fish or visit the family.  And when he became involved in helping you balance your checkbook toward God; that was too much.

     There was no explosive anger shown to Him, no tongue-lashing this time; just a gradual ignoring of all the things he tried to do for you.  Your love life and devotion to God cooled as a coal from a fireplace placed by itself on the hearth.

     The above fictious friend may never return because of your behavior.  The Holy Spirit never left, nor never shall he.  In order for you to have the joyous times you had before you must allow him a place in all of your life from which you have crowded him.  He waits, he wishes to guide and bless your life.  Won’t you let Him?