The Houses We’ve Built, The Homes We’re Missing, And The Difference You’ve Never Realized.

Let’s suppose, for a moment, that you were born in a middle-class, suburban house. However, that house has no windows.

You were born into this comfortable house which has everything you need, all resources & amenities, endless food— you feel safe here. Here’s the catch in this scenario we’re building: you’ve never left that house for even a moment. In fact, you’ve never seen anyone enter or leave your home, ever. You have no knowledge of the outside world whatsoever! Your house is your universe.

The HVAC replaces the life-giving fresh air that fills your lungs. The ceiling is the sky. The lamps are the trees. Carpet is meadow, sink is pond; you get the point.

Don’t get me wrong, you’re content here. You just don’t know . . .

You just don’t know of the splendor that exists in the natural world outside of your home. You’re missing out on higher levels of experiential joy, pleasure, life, etc. This life inside is finite and, unbeknownst to you, lacks the abundant satisfaction that’s truly available.

The Houses We Build.

When we refuse the concept of God, we build a house much like the one we’ve described.

Even when we accept the glorious good news of a God who loves us, but deny Him access to certain areas of our lives, we build these houses.

Many of us have many houses. We have our financial house, our vocational house, friendship house, family issues house, personal struggle house, and so on. We’re content with the way things are, and we think either, “this is just the way things are”, or, “things aren’t really that bad at all.” We’re missing out on the higher planes of freedom, of love, of abundance. How would we know, though? Can we bring ourselves to surrender every area to the will of God and let the way we handle ourselves on Earth be as it is in heaven?

This is something I’ve been working on for a few years now, but, currently, I’m thinking specifically of my life as a husband.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” — Matthew 18:20

“‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” — Ephesians 5:31–32

The words of Christ in Matthew hit home for me as I realized that my family, consisting of exactly three members currently, constitutes a church. Paul almost always draws the connection between marriage & Christ’s relationship with the church. Jesus leads his bride (the church) in a no-walls, limitless love, way. If I’m to lead my beloved in a Christ-like fashion, I must do the same.

What houses have I built around my home?

Demolish to Develop.

I’m madly in love with my wife. I love the perfection of her grace, faithfulness, gentleness, affection, selflessness, and consideration. I also love the imperfection of her bluntness, the way she can be guarded, her pushing drive to make others better, and how she’s obnoxiously fast and I can’t block her play-punches.

I’m content with her, but . . . what abundant joy & satisfaction have we not yet seen? What houses have we built around our relationship? How are we blocking the destiny of Kingdom greatness that I know God has put on our life together?

I believe this is a season of demolition. We’re pulling down our manufactured limits on our relationship and learning to be built by God. We’re leaning into the divine helper-ship gifted to us in each other. I see her as God sees her, and I know she sees me as God sees me. Please pray for us on this journey as we know that seeking to do this God’s way, with Christ included as the true center, may not always be the most comfortable. Yet, we trust.

Jericho.

If you’ve ever read Joshua 6, then you know the story. I reference this well-loved story only in typology, as a symbol. We build the walls that block us from what God has promised us; therefore, we’re responsible to pull them down, or to let them be pulled down. It may take awhile, because it took awhile to build them. It may take 7 times of 7 times trying, but, with God having full-access, it will happen.

What houses have you built? At the very least, I implore you to consider my opening scenario — what ecstatic bliss do you not know about?

If you’re feeling fear of leaving what you’ve known, worry not, so do I. We must feel the fear and do it anyway.

From my heart to yours.