“How lovely are your dwelling places, O LORD of hosts!” Psalm 84:1
When I was 10 years old, my parents built a beautiful cabin house that will forever and always be my home. My godparents gave us the best housewarming gift ever, a front porch swing. I still remember the crisp fall day that my dad and brother hung the swing. My sweet godmother spoke some pretty prophetic words when she gave us our swing that day. She said, “Honey, you all are gonna make many, many memories on that porch swing.” At the time I did not know just how right she would be.
My mom and dad did everything possible to make our home safe and secure. We had a warm and loving home and anything we could ever need (not to mention my Mom is the best cook in the world!). But my family is just like every other family. We’re people that argue, fuss and fight over any ole thing. So, as a young girl, there were many summer nights that front porch swing became my bed, my little hideaway from the world.
As I grew in my faith, the front porch swing became a resting place with Jesus. I would sing songs at the top of my lungs, and it always amazed me when the breeze would blow at just the right part of the song. I felt like Jesus was there with me.
When I was in college I cried my eyes out many nights on that porch swing, begging God to send me a husband or to send me far, far away to serve Jesus. And as He does, Jesus answered. Each time God responded and sent me to a new country for His Gospel, the night before I left I would stay up sitting on the swing. Just me and the Lord.
In later years, my friends began to see the value in our front porch swing too. Often, one of my lifelong friends would text me and say, “we need to talk...on the porch.” I knew what that meant -- she needed reassurance that she could wait on God and that He was still there with her.
The best was when it was dark outside except for a few stars, and no one was there but Jesus and me. I could really just come as I was -- messed up, frustrated, sad or desperate -- and He always met me there.
Over the years that swing became a haven for me and my friends. It was a place we could talk, dream, pray, laugh and cry. In our minds, we set that place apart and we knew we could fellowship with each other and meet with the Lord. God used that space on my porch to create space in my heart to draw me closer to Him in every season of life. Oh, if that porch swing could talk, what memories we made.
As much as I love reminiscing about that old swing, it’s actually not about the swing at all. It’s about finding myself alone with Jesus and allowing Him to speak, and allowing myself to worship, and my heart to listen. It’s about the fact that, when I made myself available to Him, He always showed up. In fact, He was always waiting.
Exodus 3:5 records God telling Moses to remove His shoes because he was standing on holy ground. There was nothing good about the ground, just some old dust and maybe some grass. However, when the Lord came and dwelled in that place, it sure was holy. God makes everything glorious with His presence. Even an old front porch swing.
So where is your front porch swing? Where is that place that keeps you grounded in who Jesus is? Maybe it is a closet in your bedroom, a comfy chair in your living room, your car on the way to work, or maybe it is simply a time of day where you can get alone with the Lord. I even heard of a lady who had many kids and often didn’t get a second to herself. She would put her apron over her head and pray to the Lord, even if it was just a few seconds!
Regardless of where or when you meet with Him, ask God to give you the courage to reveal that place of true vulnerability and intimacy in your heart. Allow yourself to sit quietly and wait on the Lord, open yourself up to His presence. The Holy Spirit will meet you anywhere.
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