Skip to main content

Dwelling

It's Thursday, Day 19 in the Third Week of Advent.  This morning I am still thinking about our friend Sharon, who unexpectedly passed away yesterday.  Sometimes we have time to prepare for the death of a friend or loved one, and sometimes we don't.  We didn't think that yesterday would happen.  She is home in God's presence, and singing with the Angels to the glory of God.  Yet she leaves behind her husband Bill, and her two sons, their spouses and grandchildren.  It was a sad day yesterday, and it comes at - probably - the worst time of the year.

Christmas is a celebration of Jesus who came to dwell with us.
John 1:14
14  The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.




He made his dwelling with us.  The word "dwelling" is from a Greek word that means "to tabernacle".  The Old Testament Tabernacle was designed by God, constructed under Moses' supervision and was consecrated in the Wilderness so that the nation of Israel would know that "God was among us".

We all live in "Dwellings"... we call them Homes and we create a place that is "Ours"...safe, comfortable, even sacred.  God dwells with us.

"Immanuel" means "God with Us"...Jesus came to dwell with us...to make His home with us. Jesus came to live among us so that His life would pave the way for an eternity of Life with God.

We need to remember that dwellings here on not permanent.  Paul writes to the Corinthians:

 2 Corinthians 5:1-2
1  For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2  For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,



All of us live temporarily in these "tents" which we call our body.  In these "tents" we groan, because we long to be at "home"...in the dwelling that ultimately God has fashioned for us.

Exodus 15:13 
13  "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 


That's the promise we must hold on to.  As Jesus came to dwell among us, so also he said "I go to prepare a place for you."  This is the promise we have, that we have a dwelling being prepared for us by God's own promise through the Gospel.

Our friend Sharon has just received hers!

Revelation 21:3
3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 

Peace

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Loving Well

As Jesus came to  his last hours on the earth, he spent them with his disciples - a show of his dedication to their special relationship with him.  If it were me and I knew this was my last night, I might want to take time to talk about what's important, and what they must remember....and perhaps it would be about doctrine, or beliefs, faith, etc.  Jesus goes a different direction: John 13:1-17 (NIV) 1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. 2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured w...
Post a Comment
Read more

Betrayed by Failed Expectations

No one names their children Judas.  No other name is more recognized as anathema than his name.    It's hard to sort out what to do with Judas.  He walked with Jesus, learned from him, saw the miracles, knew what Jesus was up to early on.  Yet when it came down to it he betrayed Jesus. What's perhaps more amazing is that it doesn't surprise Jesus at all. John 13:18-32 (NIV) 18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' 19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me." 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me." 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Joy to the World - Help is On the Way

It’s the first day of Advent– while you prepare for Worship this morning at church take a minute to ask God to direct you through this season that you might be prepared to “receive your King”. In the first week of Advent we celebrate the PROMISE of His Coming. His promise is based on our need. We were made in his image, but there is emptiness in our soul that is the result of the Fallen nature of sin. But why did Jesus come? What in his coming announces God's heart? His desire for us to know and experience? 10 BUT THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, "DO NOT BE AFRAID; FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY WHICH WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE; 11 FOR TODAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID THERE HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU A SAVIOR, WHO IS CHRIST THE LORD. GREAT JOY! Did you know that God is Joyful? 1 CHRONICLES 16:23-27 (NASB) 23 SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH; PROCLAIM GOOD TIDINGS OF HIS SALVATION FROM DAY TO DAY. 24 TELL OF HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, HIS WONDERFUL DEEDS AMONG ALL THE PEOPLES....
46 comments
Read more