1 February 2021
Temporary Residence
1 Peter 1:17
So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
When my husband and I got married, we signed a lease for 6 months at our first apartment. I was very excited to use all of our new appliances, dishes & towels – all the stuff we browsed through at The Broadway and registered for was now in our place! It was great. But I didn’t dig in and make that place ours. We didn’t hang pictures, keep junk we weren’t using, or even get too much furniture because that dwelling was temporary. You don’t want to hang a picture only to cover up the nail hole a few months later to get your cleaning deposit back. I even kept all the boxes the dishes and kitchen gadgets came in because I knew we’d be packing and moving soon. We were temporary residents.
Now we’ve been in our current home for 23 years. I’m very comfortable here. Nothing is in storage; all our stuff is here. The walls have the paint we like, we’ve remodeled the kitchen, and there’s pictures and art work everywhere (lots of nail holes!). I like it. There’s no move out date, and we’ve raised 4 kids here. This house is full of memories. Our first place is not. In fact, I can barely remember it.
Jesus has a real forever home for me. And this 23 year old dwelling is going to pale in comparison. Two decades is nothing in comparison to eternity. And get this... I already belong there! I won’t have to unpack, settle in, spruce up & fix things to make it feel like home. It is home already. I’m glad, I’m eager, I’m so thankful.
Just as I didn’t bother messing with making that 6 month lease place my own space, the space of my heart should not be filled with things that aren’t going to last. Pursuing whatever it is that seems so important at the time isn’t a wise use of time; it’s the same as storing up a bunch of junk and settling in making permanent holes in the walls of my heart.
Jesus said this:
Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Luke 12:33-34)
What’s treasures in heaven?
Things that are eternal.
The Holy Spirit is eternal. The house of my heart should be full of the evidence of his presence. (See Galatians 5:22-23) The Word of God is eternal. (See Psalm 119:89) The house of my heart should know it inside and out. And people. People are eternal. (See Ecclesiastes 12:7) If I only have time today to either clean my 23 year old house or disciple my 14 year old, I choose the 14 year old. I hope I choose taking a minute to talk to the person who strikes up a conversation in the line at the store instead of putting my head down hoping the checkout lady is fast. What if it’s an opportunity to share Jesus with someone? I hope it’s obvious that I’m a Child of God everywhere I go, so that it might give some unbeliever something to think about while they’re trying to go to sleep at night. What if they call out to the Lord?
So shopping, cleaning, sculpted abs, getting ahead at work, too much phone time or me time, or a speedy checkout can’t occupy the most space in my heart; those things are not going to be with me in my forever home. But the Holy Spirt, the Word of God, and people sure will.
Dear God,
It feels like I’m in a hurry all the time; for why? It certainly isn’t from you. Help me not to fall into the trap of storing up a bunch of junk and settling in making permanent holes in the walls of my heart. I didn’t do that for a temporary lease, and I don’t want to live that way for a temporary life on earth. I am eager and excited and thankful for what you have in store for me for forever. I love you and thank you for being all I need. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Every home has a to-do list; here’s the one for my heart:
Read the Word.
Live today by being instructed by the Holy Spirit.
Encourage people.
Temporary Residence
1 Peter 1:17
So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
When my husband and I got married, we signed a lease for 6 months at our first apartment. I was very excited to use all of our new appliances, dishes & towels – all the stuff we browsed through at The Broadway and registered for was now in our place! It was great. But I didn’t dig in and make that place ours. We didn’t hang pictures, keep junk we weren’t using, or even get too much furniture because that dwelling was temporary. You don’t want to hang a picture only to cover up the nail hole a few months later to get your cleaning deposit back. I even kept all the boxes the dishes and kitchen gadgets came in because I knew we’d be packing and moving soon. We were temporary residents.
Now we’ve been in our current home for 23 years. I’m very comfortable here. Nothing is in storage; all our stuff is here. The walls have the paint we like, we’ve remodeled the kitchen, and there’s pictures and art work everywhere (lots of nail holes!). I like it. There’s no move out date, and we’ve raised 4 kids here. This house is full of memories. Our first place is not. In fact, I can barely remember it.
Jesus has a real forever home for me. And this 23 year old dwelling is going to pale in comparison. Two decades is nothing in comparison to eternity. And get this... I already belong there! I won’t have to unpack, settle in, spruce up & fix things to make it feel like home. It is home already. I’m glad, I’m eager, I’m so thankful.
Just as I didn’t bother messing with making that 6 month lease place my own space, the space of my heart should not be filled with things that aren’t going to last. Pursuing whatever it is that seems so important at the time isn’t a wise use of time; it’s the same as storing up a bunch of junk and settling in making permanent holes in the walls of my heart.
Jesus said this:
Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. (Luke 12:33-34)
What’s treasures in heaven?
Things that are eternal.
The Holy Spirit is eternal. The house of my heart should be full of the evidence of his presence. (See Galatians 5:22-23) The Word of God is eternal. (See Psalm 119:89) The house of my heart should know it inside and out. And people. People are eternal. (See Ecclesiastes 12:7) If I only have time today to either clean my 23 year old house or disciple my 14 year old, I choose the 14 year old. I hope I choose taking a minute to talk to the person who strikes up a conversation in the line at the store instead of putting my head down hoping the checkout lady is fast. What if it’s an opportunity to share Jesus with someone? I hope it’s obvious that I’m a Child of God everywhere I go, so that it might give some unbeliever something to think about while they’re trying to go to sleep at night. What if they call out to the Lord?
So shopping, cleaning, sculpted abs, getting ahead at work, too much phone time or me time, or a speedy checkout can’t occupy the most space in my heart; those things are not going to be with me in my forever home. But the Holy Spirt, the Word of God, and people sure will.
Dear God,
It feels like I’m in a hurry all the time; for why? It certainly isn’t from you. Help me not to fall into the trap of storing up a bunch of junk and settling in making permanent holes in the walls of my heart. I didn’t do that for a temporary lease, and I don’t want to live that way for a temporary life on earth. I am eager and excited and thankful for what you have in store for me for forever. I love you and thank you for being all I need. And I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Every home has a to-do list; here’s the one for my heart:
Read the Word.
Live today by being instructed by the Holy Spirit.
Encourage people.
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