We hear it all of the time. The Bible describes one of the key differences between the New Testament and the Old Testament as the place where God lives. In the Old Testament, God lived in the temple. In the New Testament, he lives in our hearts. Our hearts are God’s home.
Do you ever wonder……..what kind of home the heart of man is……..what kind of a home your heart is? Ideally, our hearts would be places where God is valued and loved………where he is a central actor in everything that goes on.
My meditation today is on comparing your family home with the home you are providing………for God.
First, consider what a good home looks like……..the kind of home you try to build for your family. Every member of the family is loved and valued. Just about every activity revolves about caring for the members of the family…….physically, mentally, and emotionally. We take steps to protect our family from threats that, hopefully, exist only outside. We teach our kids the skills that they will need to thrive in the world. And, yes, we discipline them when they go astray. So far so good.
Now, how does God fit into our home? What kind of a place do we find for him……….in our family?
For example:
He is a member of the family…….included in the plans and decision-making. He is included in the family conversation. We know where he is……all of the time. If we turn around and can’t find him…….we panic. We give a lot of thought to meeting his needs and wants. We work to stengthen our relationship………to make it last……as long as we have breath in us. His happiness and success are among our top goals. We cannot be fully happy if he is not happy. We spend our resources to promote his well being…….we feed him before we feed ourselves. In a word……..we put his needs ahead of our own…….we serve him.
Or
We visit him on the weekend. Maybe we have his picture on the wall. When we are in trouble we seek his help……give him a “to-do” list. We honor his advice…….as long as he agrees with us…….or, even worse, as long as he agrees with our favorite politician. If he tells us that what we are doing is wrong…….we tell him to sit down and shut up. God is to be seen…….not heard. When it comes to our resources………he gets the left overs. When it comes to our love……..he gets the left overs. In a word……..he serves us.
I think that all of us drift into the second category from time to time. But, some Christians live there every day. If they treated the rest of their family……..the way they treat God, they would be candidates for a visit from a child welfare worker.
So…….what does your family……..your home…..look like……to God?
Is it possible that you are guilty………of God abuse?
Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ
Paul, Ephesians 3:17-19, ESV
It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Paul. Galatians 2:20, ESV
the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John. 1:14, ESV