Over this last year, Marilyn and I have been trying to move to a new location. As the months went by we viewed many potential houses including one that we put a definite offer on, having received an offer on our own. We were making plans for needed alterations when everything changed because of the chain breaking down.
I was talking to the Lord about my sadness at what had happened, when he put this thought in my heart: ‘Come and live in my house!’
Wow, I thought, what does that mean? I thought it was the other way round that he makes our lives a dwelling place for him to live in? That is true, but this was the opposite idea.
As I reflected, he spoke again into my heart, ‘As you choose to live in my house, the house of my love for you, everything else that you long for will flow from that place of intimacy.’
This was an amazing insight from the Holy Spirit, and I was reminded of the verses in John 15:1-8 where Jesus talks about us abiding or remaining in him in order to bear fruit. ‘Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.’ (ESV). Another way of describing ‘abiding’ is ‘dwelling’ or ‘living.’
Jesus was inviting me to come and abide, dwell and live in him. To be where he is. I’d been getting dragged down in my thoughts and emotions with all the confusions about the house and where we should live. But Jesus was drawing me into that place of intimacy and love. I thought about houses and how the different rooms create different modes of being. You relax and spend time with loved ones in a lounge, you create nourishing meals in the kitchen, become clean and refreshed in the bathroom; rest in the bedroom or work in the study. . .Jesus was inviting me to relationally, enter into him for all those aspects of living. He wants to be the centre of our relaxation and time with loved ones, he wants to inspire our work and creativity, he feeds and sustains us and cleanses us on a daily basis. When we are tired he gives us rest, not just for our bodies but our souls too. And he promises that as we live in him in this way, that our lives will be full of joy and fruitfulness. How awesome.
Jesus was speaking to me about my particular disappointment but the message is true for all of us in all the circumstances we face.
Will you hear his invitation today too, to come and live in his house? His house of love is beautiful and he is waiting for you there to bless and spend wonderful time with you. He knows all that is happening in your life, but as you live in his house of love, those difficult things will take their proper place and you will know his peace and joy as he promised. That’s my prayer for us all.
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