God’s House . . . Our Home
I had never heard of a “Builders Blitz” until I read an article in the paper recently about one that was taking place in Cedar Rapids. In a five-day period, a large group of volunteers and professional construction people partnered up to build three houses, from foundation to completion. Finishing an entire house in five days sounds beyond ambitious, but these folks do it.
Hundreds of volunteers worked with the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, the local affiliate of the international organization dedicated to providing housing to low-income families. When the keys are placed in the hands of the new owners, there are tears of joy and smiles that just won’t stop. To go from hoping for a reasonably livable place to rent to opening the front door to your own home is beyond a dream come true.
References to both houses and homes are numerous throughout the Bible, and I was curious to see if there were noticeable differences in how the two words were used. One thing I did notice was that a number spoke of “the house of the Lord” or “God’s house” or “my Father’s house”. Many Jewish people were nomads, living in tents, and moving about in search of grazing lands for their flocks. When they relocated, their homes went with them. A stone structure, built for permanence, impressive and substantial, was important in showing honor and reverence to God.
Do you consider the words house and home to have different meanings? For one thing, a person usually says, “I’m going home,” not “I’m going to my house.” Those who are separated from the people and place they love and call home, are filled with joy when they return, and they don’t usually care about the house — it’s the people and the familiar landscape. Unfortunately, we’re also aware of broken relationships and unhappy, conflict-filled, even dangerous home situations, and for those families or individuals, home is not a word that makes them feel loved or cared for.
Is there a way to pull these random thoughts together? Let’s hope so! The Habitat organization builds houses, but those who move in to them create homes. The old cliche of “Home is where the heart is” is so very true — the outer appearance of a building doesn’t define its heart. An expensive, elegant house doesn’t guarantee that those who live there will be happy, but a plain, modest dwelling can radiate warmth, love and welcome to all who enter.
The joy of being part of a church family is that as we gather in God’s house, it becomes our family home. We come together in this place because here, in relationship with one another and as beloved children of our heavenly Father, we are indeed home. How blessed we are to be called to welcome all his people to God’s house, which is a home for each and every one.
“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” (Psalm 122:1)
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers