Everyone wants a house to live in, a place to be sheltered from the elements, a place to share with loved ones, a place to make memories, a place to be with family or even make a family. It's a universal desire for all humanity, one that we all share, and whether it ends up being a makeshift box or an elaborate mansion, we all want a place to rest our head at night.
When you're in the process of moving or waiting on the right place or wandering for a time there is a sense of restlessness that goes with it. Travelling is wonderful and for me personally nothing compares to what you can experience in other parts of the world, but having a home to go back to makes it even better. It grounds you, it gives you peace. That, I think is something that comes with having a home. Peace.
When we are at peace we can build, we can plant, even expand our lives and grow. Not only do we have a place to go but a place where others can come and share our peace. There are just a lot of things great about a home, and I want one.
My wife and I recently lost the rental property that we lovingly made our home due to the owner deciding to sell it. My wife had decorated it so nicely that the first person that walked through the house bought it. It had been on the market less than a week and we had no aspirations of leaving.
When we moved in it was brand new, one block from the beach (I'm a mad surfer) and in one of the best places a young couple could hope to live in on the Gold Coast. We were close to everything and constantly had visitors. It was awesome.
Since then we haven't quite found what we are looking for, we have stayed with some family and friends and looked around, even applied for a few places, but so far things just haven't fallen in to place. So I want a home, and where does that desire come from? For me, more than anything I believe it comes from the one whose image I have been made in, God.
Have you ever considered that God wants a home?
You might say that heaven is God's home, and it is. Some of you might even be spiritual enough to say that heaven is your home. It's not. According to my bible heaven, even the heavens are the Lord's, but the earth He has given to the sons of men.
I once again procrastinated in the writing of this article so I won't take my time and give the scripture reference, but have a look and you will find it. It will do you good anyway. So bad news for those of us who think heaven is our home and can't wait to go there, you belong here. Heaven is a wonderful place that is for sure, but God wants to move house so he can be with his children.
You might want to re-consider your desire to depart and be with Him, as all signs are now pointing to the fact that he want's to bring his home down here. If we want to worship God like they do in heaven maybe we should change our songs and instead of singing about going to heaven start singing about heaven coming here, Because in heaven they're singing about coming here and reigning on earth (Revelation 5 verses 9-10) wasn't Jesus prayer 'on earth as it is in heaven?'
As a man of God I know likes to say, "someone's confused!" (Hint, it isn't Jesus). So God wants to move and he wants a nice home, but why does he seem to be taking so long to come here? Well, I believe God likes things to be in order, something he seems to have emphasised over time.
He also keeps a clean house and likes to keep a beautiful garden. He is looking not for temples made with human hands or walls of brick and mortar. In fact he gave a perfect pattern of the type of living quarters he wants in the person of Jesus Christ. He came and dwelt with us in all his fullness in that very home.
So now, if God has decided to build himself a house out of all the nations of the earth so He can make His home with them, we should probably start looking at the blueprint of the house he desires to make of us. A blueprint that I think, he made quite obvious. I believe if we can make the right preparations and get things ready, as He desires God will come as He did for Solomon's temple and fill His temple once more, this time permanently. So God, a bit like myself lately, is on the lookout for a new residence.
A place to lay his head
His eyes are scanning to and fro for a resting place. A place to lay His head and call his very own Bethel. He Just needs some good builders to get to work and someone to motivate them. Another man like the old prophet Haggai, who reminded the people who had returned from Babylon into Theirs and God's land, who, after focusing all their attention on building their own beautiful homes, had Forgotten That God, who's temple was destroyed in their capture was now homeless! "WHAT ABOUT ME!" Is essentially what He was saying. "WHERE IS MY HOUSE?"
If we ever get to the point where we want God to come more than He wants to come we won't know we have gotten there. Because He will have come already. So there you have it, in my house hunting I have learnt a little more about God than I knew before and my goal towards friendship with Him comes ever closer as He shares his heart with me through the most strenuous circumstances.
I have had a few sleepless nights thinking about having my own home again, but like King David something is impressing my mind more than that lately, and I don't know if I can go up to my own bedroom or lay in the comfort of my own bed anymore, until I first find a dwelling place for my God!
Joshua Robbie is currently serving the Lord under Pastors Ronnie and Shirley Naidoo of KZN Celebration Centre in Tongaat South Africa. He and His wife Rene’ moved from Australia to South Africa in April 2016. Their desire is to help in whatever way they can so that the church can become all that God has purposed her to be. Josh is a painter by trade and also enjoys sports such as surfing, basketball and boxing. He has also written a book, now available for purchase on Amazon called: “Your Father sees: Living the sermon on the mount”.Josh Robbie previous articles may be viewed http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josh-robbie.html