A HOUSE FOR GOD

In Acts 7:48-50 it says, "The Most High God doesn't live in houses made by humans.  It is just as the prophet said when he spoke for the Lord, "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.  what kind of house will you build for me?  In what place will I rest?  I have made everything."


This seems to tell us that we don't need churches!  Maybe for some this may be true.  But, for Jerry and me, it was terribly important.  Jerry was frustrated with his church before we met and had stopped attending. I was hungry for a church as my family had stopped attending because too many residential moves and job changes over the years had finally found us church-less. I was hungry for church and its teachings and Jerry unsatisfied with  church teachings that had no biblical basis. so, we started out church-less, but loving God.


Being churchless meant no habits-formed, no encouragement to read the Bible, no encouragement to pray, no reminder that God is a Holy God, etc.  It is harder to stay in the presence of Jesus when you get used to your own person sitting on the "throne" of personal decision-making and right-thinking!


So, we found a church, staying away from the type of churches we had been associated with earlier.  Our hearts had been led to find God, and we found him by actively being part of the church's teachings and works. Over the years, the Church, not necessarily one particular kind of church, led us where we were meant to be.  Christ in us, blessing us as His Own, we attend church gladly to share our joy with others and celebrate Christ 's life and death, for He has given us all we have.


And what we have been given are the building blocks for God's house. We are learning to have a boldness for God, a willingness to serve, a hunger to learn, being humble enough to admit our needs and wrongs, honest enough to be sincere  in our love, forgiving when wronged, trusting when we pray, praying hard, caring when others hurt, being enthusiastic about worship, worshipping whole-heartedly, being sacrificial to God and others, being kind to strangers, thinking of others first, and centering on God through our daily routines.  These are the building blocks needed for God's "house."


Lord, may we be reminded that You are with us wherever we are and that your "house" is open for others to enter. And give us courage to enter the bigger "house" where all can meet, together. AMEN


JO in MN