The Believing Family

February 2018

Attached.

I can get attached easily.

I've lived in our home for 10 years and I'm attached.

It's been a journey to making this house feel like home.

I've painted a lot, refinished the kitchen cabinets, had new kitchen counters installed, installed new kitchen and dining room flooring, hired trimwork done, hired some new windows installed, new furnace and air conditioner, 3/4 of the basement has been finished in the past 5 years, new water softener, new water heater, new appliances...

All these things that make it feel like we are getting the house up to par and then He asks us to give it up and move. Prying my fingers off of our home and give it all back to Him. Knowing that I had more projects in mind and yet realizing that I've been anticipating those and not my heavenly home.

God wants the best for me. I thought I'd live in this house until I died or went to the Nursing Home. I thought it was perfect for us. I didn't want any other house. I was content here. I never wanted to move out of our neighborhood.

But its not about what we want, is it?

O, let our house be built on stone,

Upon Thy holy truth alone,

That we may never waver,

And even when the days are dark

May we Thy Holy footsteps mark,

And follow Thee, O Saviour!

In Thee Have we,

E'en in sadness

Lasting gladness

In rich measure,

For Thou givest heav'nly pleasure.

Being home all day, the house starts to feel like an extension of myself. I decorate and rearrange furniture on a whim, the cleanliness of the house is an extension of how I'm feeling. If its clean, my mood is bright and cheery. If its disheveled, I'm feeling overwhelmed and can't get started on simple tasks. We enjoy hosting friends and family and sharing our home with them. I can see why its so easy to get attached.

MARK

10:29  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

10:30  But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

Commentary from Life Application Study Bible:

Jesus assured the disciples that anyone who gives up something valuable for his sake will be repaid a hundred times over in this life, although not necessarily in the same way. For example, someone may be rejected by his family for following Christ, but he will gain the larger family of believers. Along with these rewards, however, we experience persecution because the world hates God. Jesus emphasized persecution to make sure we do not selfishly follow him only for the rewards.