If Jesus Came To Your House

When I first came to Montana and learned that it was nicknamed "Big Sky Country", I never understood why it had received such a name.  Arriving in Billings, MT back in August of last year, my stay there was fairly short as I was shipped off on a Greyhound to Missoula, MT to begin my missionary service there.  Being amongst all those mountains made the sky look like any other normal sky.  Moving on the Great Falls and then to Glasgow, the sky seemed to progressively get larger.  Now serving in Sidney, MT and having traveled around most of Eastern Montana, I definitely feel that the "Big Sky Country" title is very fitting.  You can see from horizon to horizon and the sunsets are so intense and appealing that they almost seem fake.

The picture above is of a sunset coming back from a dinner at a member's house just over the North Dakota border, east of Fairview, MT.  A couple hours prior to this, we attended a baptism of an 8 year-old that had made the great choice to make a promise to keep God's commandments and follow Him.  We had a couple that is learning about the church attend it with us.  Following that, they joined us for a dinner and a lesson out at a member's house.  We asked them how they enjoyed the baptism and they noted a number of things that were different than what they had done or were used to - one of the main one's was that the practice of baptism by immersion.  That took us into a discussion on how Christ set the example for us by being baptized Himself to be completely obedient to His Father's commandments and to show the path to return to Heaven.

The "path" that Christ tred for us guided the rest of the conversation that night and how He wants us to follow Him, though He will not force us to go.  As we did so, I asked if either of them had ever seen the picture of Christ knocking at the door.  Saying that they hadn't, the member's we were with said they did and brought out a small 5x7 of the painting.  I noticed that there was a poem written on the back as they were looking at it, and assuming that it could do nothing more then aide the discussion we were having, I had them read it out loud.  Before then, I had never heard this poem.  Its message is powerful and cuts straight to the heart.  The question it poses to us is, "What would you do if Jesus came to your house?". 

If Jesus Came to Your House

By: Red Sovine

If Jesus came to your house to spend a day or two

If he came unexpectedly, 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 serve to Him would be the very best,

And you keep assuring Him you're glad to have Him there

That serving Him in your own 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 turn off the radio and hope He hadn't heard?

And wish you hadn't uttered that last, loud, hasty word?

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 wonder 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?

Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace

And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?

Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books you read,

And let him know the things on which your mind and spirit feed?

Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you'd planned to go

Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?

Or would you hope they'd 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 Christ in person came to spend some time with you.




 ...what would you do?