From House to Home

And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. (1 Samuel 25:6)

The last time my family and I went back to the Iron Range was after my mother died. It felt like I lost my home. By then, I hadn't lived there in over thirty years, but it felt like I had lost my home. After I graduated from High School, my mother moved from Hibbing to the little town of Buhl, where she continued to teach. Yet, after Mom was gone, the whole Iron Range lost its feeling of home. I retained terrific memories, but my friends moved away after graduation because the mines struggled. Knowing so few after being close to seemingly everyone decades earlier was odd.

I love our home in Des Moines. We feel blessed to live in the Beaverdale neighborhood. Westminster has been a blessing to Jill and me. The city, neighborhood, and especially our church feel like home. Jill and I live in the house where we invited our daughter to visit during college. Our house is where we helped Hannah plan her wedding. It is where we now play with our grandchildren.

We have a few antiques from our great-grandparents, reminding us of our ancestral homes. The pictures, rug, and other items in our house help make it feel like a home. Yet, what makes our house a home is God's Spirit, making our home safe and comfortable. Some of our homes have kids. Other homes have a spouse, while other homes have a single resident. Whether your home is packed tight with people or you are the only resident of your home, it can still be a warm and loving place when God fills the rooms.

Today, walk into each room of your house, from the kitchen to the bedrooms, and prayerfully invite God's Spirit into each room. If you have one, go to the basement and ask God to bless each part of your house. Then, reflect on how you've made your home a warm, inviting, and loving place. Finally, thank God for the gift of a safe dwelling to call home by offering God your home as a divine dwelling place.