Cords to Pillars

If you talk to any home constructor, they’ll tell you a home is only as good as it’s the foundation. If you talk to a real estate investor, they too will tell you that location is key. Any inspector’s top box on their checklist is to ensure the house has a solid foundation. Needless to say, where and what you build your home on matters. Jesus knew this long before Fixer Upper and the Property Brothers, he told his followers 2,000 years ago that foundations matter…a lot.

Jesus said to them, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

Wise men in the first century apparently built on rocks. Makes sense: sturdy, solid, secure. I’m a new(er) father of three foster kids and trust me I know a few little pigs who could also attest that solid structures are you’re best bet…I think I’m getting my point across by now: a firm foundation and the built bones of a house matter. But houses aren’t merely structures, they are homes. A dwelling and gathering place for families and friends. Homes are sacred. Sure you can just look at the structure and it’s property lot and see a financial investment; however, the people and the life that happens inside is what matters most.

Homes hold the up and down moments of life and also carry the enduring memories of your legacy. However, if the foundation was inadequately laid and the beams have been poorly built, all of this can quickly crumble beneath the weighty winds and sudden storms of life. Confident peace comes only when you are know the baseboards under your feet and the walls above your head are going to stand. Jesus called this out too:

“And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:26-27)

In our very first post (over three years ago now!), Beginnings, we acknowledged that this earth is not our final destination. It’s a passing ground into the fullness of the heavenly realities where we will experience the complete intimacy with our Creator, God. Feel free to take a reread (I had to haha!). Heaven is our whole home. This earthly one we have now is simply a rental. A temporary state and a momentary vessel but we cannot forget its possibilities. We are invited to embark this mortal home into supernatural capacities. Paul described our current and future construction this way:

“For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our [immortal, eternal] celestial dwelling,” (2 Corinthians 5:1-2 AMP)

I gravitate towards this image of our current home being simply a tent. It perfectly portrays our present journey’s joists. Paul doesn’t happen upon this comparison, if you read closely, he was actually a tent maker by trade (Acts 18:3). Paul had a day job! The on-a-pedestal superhero apostle and greatest missionary trailblazer of all time, likely spent a good amount of his time spinning twine, measuring wood, and watching leather dry (ample time to for mediation). Not to mention, Paul lived and traveled in an era of architectural magnificence. The Greeks and Romans idolized and enshrined their achievements and progress in stone and marble. Surrounded by the shadows of these earthly glories, I can see the grin on Paul’s face as he penned 2 Corinthians 5 with calloused hands knowing full well the true glory of our eternal home. This imagery didn’t even originate with Paul and his tent trade or in the towering progress of the civilizations of his day, no, God originated this theme.

Long before Paul and in the tales of the Old Testament, God chose to make his presence known among his wilderness wandering people, the Israelites, in a tent. Yes, you read that right. The Creator of the universe resided in a mobile sanctuary known as the Tabernacle. Without going into deep detail, the Tabernacle was an elaborate and particular tent, so much so there are 10 long chapters dedicated to it’s exact materials, measurements, and instructions (Exodus 25-30, 35-40). This was the holy sacred sanctuary of God. Always positioned at the center of the Israelite camp, it was rightfully perfect in it’s construction and extraordinarily divine in it’s purpose — to be the constant place of God’s presence.

So where are we going with all this? Foundations, tents, homes, tabernacles. Well, the most magnificent reality of following Jesus is that WE have become the physical on-earth dwelling places of God. That’s right, I am carrying within me now as my hands stroke these keys the living Spirt of the creator of the universe. Unbelievable!? It’d seem so if God himself didn’t say it was the truth:

 “If you love me, keep my commands. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth…Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home (dwelling) with them.” (John 14:15-17, 23)

The Greek word here for “home” μονὴν means a place of dwelling, an abiding place. If we take Jesus at his word, to love him with our lives and obey his teachings to also love others; he promises the residence of the of the triune God (Father, Son, Spirit) within us! This is not some odd mystical hollywood type of possession. No…rather, it is clarity and freedom. We are returning to the reality of our created intended design. To have friendship again with God. To be a partner with the King and to join him in the most purposeful story for us, our homes, and our world.

I am learning more and more to commune with the living God who resides within me. To hear his voice of love, peace, guidance amongst our dark, confused, and troubling hour of humanity. He’s comforting me amidst a season of waiting; he is faithful, good, and always at work.

What about you? How’s your foundation?

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19)

“Let the [spoken] word of Christ have its home within you [dwelling in your heart and mind—permeating every aspect of your being]” (Colossians 3:16) 

For those who have not yet come to receive the reality of God’s active living residence within your spirit, mind, body and home. Please do me the favor of just asking Jesus if he’s even for real about all this. Honestly, how bad could it be? If you’re at the point where it seems the roof has already blown off and the walls fallen over; Jesus is in the business of remodeling (renewing). I invite you to try a new foundation.

For those of who are like me and still learning what it means to participate in the daily moments of the manifest presence of God; be encouraged because you are not alone! I’d invite you to simply ask Jesus to teach and blow away the fog that is clouding the truth of the scriptures mentioned above. It’s a life changer. Here also is a great resource and guided practice from The Wild at Heart podcast:

The Deep Well Inside Us

We are created for union with God. This earth and these bodies are not our forever home, simply temporary tents. We too like Moses can experience the presence of God and like Paul and the saints of a millennia, we carry it within us until we are wholly home among the pillars of our Father’s house.

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (Jesus) ² My Father’s house has many rooms (dwelling places); if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” (John 14:1-2)

Build my life – Housefires
I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken