The Mystery Of The House

In the final analysis we are forced to the conclusion that Father’s house is multi faceted. On our journey we have discovered that his house is eternal, yet can appear in time, that it is in heaven yet can be experienced on earth and that it is a place we long and yearn for yet can experience in some measure in the here and now.

But perhaps the greatest mystery is that we are not only part of the house by virtue of the fact that we are children of the house – but that in some mysterious way we are the house! “We are his house …. carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord” – states the apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:20/21 – NLT). In another place he reminds us – “We are God’s household” (Hebrews 3:6 – NLT). Here is the mystery – He is our house and we are his!

The saying “home is where the heart is” could just as easily be applied to the spiritual realm as to the physical – for his heart is with us – we are His dwelling. Conversely when our hearts are with him – he is our dwelling.

Again Paul has reason to remind us – “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16 – NKJV {emphasis mine}). What an awesome privilege – to know that moment-by-moment we are, in a mysterious sense, the dwelling place of the living God and that we can dwell in Him! No wonder David exclaimed – “How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises” and “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else!” (Psalm 84:4&10 – NLT).

Afterword

Thank you for accompanying me over these last 12 days on our journey towards the Father’s House. This week I had the privilege of attending the funeral service of a dear old friend, one with whom I shared many happy hours in our Father’s House [although we rarely attended the same church building]. Her name was Chrissie. Chrissie exemplified what it meant to be a daughter of the King – and pointed many to the road leading home. I thank God for her life and witness and for the privilege of knowing her and her husband Alasdair who went home before her some years ago. At Chrissie’s funeral part of 2 Corinthians 5 was read and I think it is fitting that that it is repeated here at the conclusion of our meditations on Father’s house.

“For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven …”

2 Corinthians 5:1-3 (KJV)