Today down to the day is the sixth time that I’ve moved in a year. Yes, 6 times. Of course, I married a missionary in November, so this could become a lifestyle from now on rather than just a random season. Each time I’ve moved, I’ve had to leave things behind and acquire new things. Certain places have been fully furnished, while other places have had nothing. I’ve had a move where all I had was a fridge and now on my latest move, we had to buy a fridge. In every transition, I find myself wanting to rest, to abide, to settle in a place. The move today will prove to be the longest in this series of moves to stay in one place, but may be the most challenging as a result. I’ve almost gotten used to the back and forth of moving my things and the constant “unsettled” feeling. Once Stephen and I got married, we moved into a lovely parsonage of sorts that a local church offered to us. This was an answer to prayer in many ways, but we would only be there for a few months. This helped us settle in a way as we did not have to fill any empty spaces with things like towels and silverware right away. However, now as we move for my 6th time in a year and Stephen’s 11th time in a year (now you understand my missions reference), we had to buy and obtain everything with the exception of a dining room table. Stephen’s experiences have a far greater variety than my Tulsa-Alabama-Dallas-Tulsa adventures as he was located on the island of Madagascar for most of 2012.
Our little adventure and I’m sure the many more to come, make me think of various scriptures like in Matthew 21:13 where Jesus says, “And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”
In three out of the past five moves, other people have furnished my home. Things were often already chosen such as paint colors, towels, silverware etc. While it may not have been my taste or style every time, I enjoyed having things prepared in advance for me. As Stephen and I prepared to move into our new place, we got to make the decisions. We get to choose what couch goes in what room and what color towels go best with the 1960s baby blue tile in the bathroom :-) This passage of scripture where Jesus states the desire of His Father’s heart for His own home seems so near and dear to my heart right now. His Father didn’t want the house to be a place of business and confusion, but of prayer for all nations.
We have some good friends who just moved into a home a couple of months ago. I’d visited them back in the Fall and they were occupying a pleasant two bedroom apartment with their two year old son. Upon entering their new home which is 4 bedrooms, 3 and a half baths, I noticed the gorgeous decor and furniture that was not present in their previous home. It also appeared that much work had been done in such a short amount of time living there. As I listened to their story, I was amazed at the favor God had given them in purchasing this home. This home had previously been used as a getaway for those in ministry to rest and was fully furnished. When our friends were negotiating the price, they asked how much it would be to throw some furniture in. The woman who had designed everything said she’d sell it to them all or nothing for a low price. They were thrilled to have a fully-furnished home upon moving in! They said every color and every towel or linen was exactly what they would have wanted and beyond what they could have afforded on their own. Designing like this would have taken several years with much planning and finances, yet here it was already complete.
It made me think of how God had prepared a place for them that was so perfect. They enjoyed every part of their home and there were so many interesting small details that would only have suited them so perfectly. As we discussed both of our home transitions that evening, we began to dream of what Jesus and the Father desire in their home. How pleasing it must be to them to hear worship arising from Asia, from Africa, from the Americas. How thrilling it must be to have the colors of the nations in their House of Prayer. How beautiful is the color red of the martyrs who’ve laid down their lives for the sake of the Kingdom of God. How much they desire to have their House full of the nations.
Right now, I desire my new house to become our home with touches of color, pictures, and important items that reflect us. More than that though, I desire our home to house His glory and to be a place where He can dwell.
Holy Spirit come search my heart today. Reveal the Father and the Son and their deep desire for their home to become a “House of prayer for all nations”. May everything I do that is of my flesh and own ideas be overthrown and may I be established in a place of adoration for the great King! May incense arise from my heart that is pleasing for you to dwell. And may Your house of prayer come forth from my life.