Years ago, my good friend and principal of our school, taught our 1st graders a key truth that surfaced in my thoughts as I read 1 Chronicles. The first graders, whose focus is on the far reach of God’s love, serve the “houseless ministry". Yep, you read it right: Houseless.
At the beginning of the year, she taught these little learners that the words “home” and “house” are not synonymous (I’m sure she didn't use that word😂). A house is a building for habitation, but a home, by definition, is the abiding place of our affections, a place of rest and sacred refuge. Throughout the year, the children would learn how they can have an eternal home with Jesus that begins this side of heaven.
As I read this verse in 1 Chronicles, the words, “home, tent and tabernacle” jumped off the page. God is telling David that he has never lived in a house, but rather his “home” has been a tent moving from one place to another. The more I pondered it this morning, the more it brought me joy and revelation. As I type, this phrase is surfacing: Home is the place where He pitched His tent. It wasn’t a physical structure, but a sacred place of rest and refuge.
It makes me think of the passage in Hebrews 11 that tells of the pilgrims of faith in the land of promise. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were all tent dwellers. They were sojourners who all died IN faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar…as they considered themselves strangers and pilgrims on this earth.
Y’all that is what we are - strangers and pilgrims, tent dwellers really. Home is where we pitch our tent and where we pitch our tent will determine our peace. (Oh my, read about Lot and Abraham and how the locale of their tents impacted their families!) When I allow the circumstantial evidence before me, that is uncertain or hard, to become, "the abiding place of my affections", my faith begins to falter. But if we choose to pitch our tent on the rock solid foundation of Jesus and His Word, it does not matter what storms may come, for we will always have a sacred, set-apart place of rest and refuge in and through Him!
July 14th One Year Bible Readings
💡 1 Chronicles 16:37-18:17
💡 Romans 2:1-24
💡 Psalm 10:16-18
💡 Proverbs 19:8-9
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