Houses

I LOVE looking at houses! Any kind of house. I’m a secret fan of “This Old House” and MANY (I’m embarrassed to say how many) other home improvement shows. I love, love, love, Log Cabin Living , Alaska Living, Island Life, and a plethora of other house hunting shows. I’m even a fan of the real estate channel you get on hotel TVs. While most people admit to playing games on their phone, I prefer scrolling through Zillow and can wile away a good hour just looking at houses. Also, if someone invites me over, I always have my fingers crossed hoping they will take me on a tour of their home. Maybe I should have been a realtor.

I can’t remember when my fascination with houses started but I do remember what cemented it.

When I was about six or seven years old, we lived in a tiny town called Grandfield, Oklahoma. My dad was raised there and so it seemed the logical place to move when he exited the Marine Corp. We moved into a small house just down from my grandparents which was a dream come true for me. We had a small front porch with a railing around it and a mulberry tree growing beside it. There was no fence around our yard, but the neighbors had a chain link fence covered with honeysuckle vines running the length of ours on one side. There was nothing on the other side except our cellar - which I adored and desperately wished could become my bedroom – and an old-timey merry-go-round (with individual seats and handles for your hands to hold onto and your feet to push) planted right between our house and the neighbor’s. (The merry-go-round looked way more fun than it really was and required at least two people to make it go around, so my excitement for it waned quickly). It was while living in our cozy little house there in Grandfield that I learned how to drink honeysuckle nectar from the blossoms and pick the ripest mulberries for eating. It was also during this time I realized my passion for looking at houses.

Grandfield is such a small town that one can walk anywhere one needs without much problem. That was great for me since I didn’t have a bike and dad took the one car we owned to work. I remember mom walking me to the library where we picked out books to read together. We walked to the park - which had a much more fun merry-go-round that you could stand on! I also remember walking to the local gas station when my cousins visited to get Push Ups.

Most everyone either knew each other or knew OF each other so when an older lady who frequented our street on her evening walks asked if I could accompany her to look at a recently burned down house a block or two away, I was allowed to go and she and I became fast friends.

I remember thinking how COOL that house was! As I perused each room, I tried to visualize what it looked like before it had burned and relished in finding “treasures” among the ashes. I tried to imagine the family that might have lived there and looked for clues as to what their life had been like. I was hooked. Since then, my love for houses has expanded to include all types: from burnt, abandoned, and derelict to brand new homes. I even enjoy looking at houses in the process of being constructed, although I’m not creative at envisioning the finished product.

When David and I became homeowners, we quickly realized that houses require a LOT of upkeep. If they are not taken care of, they will begin to deteriorate and fall apart. However, if a house is cared for, it can stand for a long time; AND if it is built with quality materials and set on a good, solid foundation, it could last for hundreds of years. They remind me a lot of people.

The burnt-out houses are like those who have ignored God completely in their life, giving themselves over to sin, allowing themselves to be consumed with it. They reach a point where they are unrecognizable as the person they once were, even to themselves, and they feel as if they have nothing left to offer. But there is still hope. A person can never be too broken for God to save. He can find treasure among the ashes.

2 Chronicles 33: 1-10 describes a very wicked king. King Manasseh sinned greatly against God AND caused His people to sin. He worshipped idols, built altars for the idols, encouraged his people to worship idols, and even set an idol in the House of God for the Israelites to worship. Sadly, he also offered his own children as human sacrifices to an idol. Manasseh sought fortune tellers and those who claimed to speak to spirits; practiced sorcery and witchcraft; and when God tried to intervene by personally speaking to him, Manasseh ignored Him.

Yet . . . when God allowed King Manasseh to be captured and bound by his enemy, King Manasseh sought the Lord and repented of his sins. When he did, God saved him, forgave him, and restored him back to his kingdom. Even the worst sinner can be saved. The burned-out house that once was, will be changed into a new one, built by God.

The abandoned, derelict houses remind me of people who at one time walked with God but turned away for some reason. They are backslidden and hollow inside, constantly looking for something to fill the void. But each time they try, they are left feeling even more hollow and desperate than they were before. Their life is in shambles and although they have been saved, they no longer acknowledge God in their heart and the storms of life have taken their toll.

Genesis 19: 1- 29 tells of a man named Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot had been given his choice of land for his flocks by Abraham. He chose a plot near Sodom, a city that was rampant with sin. It didn’t take long for Lot to become a part of that city. He didn’t just move to Sodom; he became a leader in the community. When two angels came to visit him, he had to fight off a crowd that gathered outside his house demanding to be given these angels for sinful purposes.

Yet . . . God remembered Lot. He sent the two angels to warn Lot of God’s wrath upon the city and give him opportunity to get his family out before Sodom was destroyed.

Even when our life is in shambles and we feel abandoned by others, God remains with us. He continues to provide opportunities for us to draw close to Him and feel His love once again. He can restore us and fill the void in our lives.

The houses that are under construction are like our children or those who are just learning about God and His love for us. They are not saved yet, but preparations are being made for when they do accept Christ. We are teaching them the basic truths of the Bible; encouraging them by our own faithfulness; and diligently praying for them. When they accept Christ, He becomes their foundation for a life solidly built to withstand the storms to come.

In the book of Acts 16:1, we are introduced to a young man named Timothy. When we add verses from 2 Timothy 1:5 and 3: 14-15, we can see that Timothy was taught the scripture from his youth up by his mother and grandmother. Thanks to their faithfulness, Timothy was saved.

Even though Timothy was young when he first met Paul (late teens to early twenties), he made an impression and was invited to accompany Paul on his 2nd and 3rd missionary journeys. He became a trusted friend and helper to Paul and was faithful in the ministry.

Through our example and faithfulness to pray for and teach our children, when they accept Christ into their heart, their foundation is set and those building blocks that have been laid help them build a strong faith.

I would like to add how important it is to teach our children. Just as a house can be built on a solid foundation with quality materials, it can also be built on a crumbling foundation with shoddy materials. Our young people are facing a daunting world with problems that didn’t exist when we were their age. Many are floundering; trying to make sense of things and find their way in the world. Sometimes, it becomes too much, and they look to suicide for relief. It is with urgency that we intervene. It is never too late to begin praying, reading our Bible, and attending church together as a family.

Brand, new houses remind me of brand-new Christians. They are bright and happy. Their windows are lit up with the joy they have inside of their newly received salvation, and their door is bursting open to welcome all who pass by to come in and hear the gospel.

Acts 10 shares the story of a man named Cornelius. He held the office of centurion in the Roman army – a commander of about 100 soldiers. Rome was the governing power over Israel at this time. So, even although Cornelius wasn’t a Jew, he undoubtedly heard about God and believed in Him: praying and giving to those in need. The problem was that Cornelius was not saved. He needed the gospel. God saw this and sent an angel to visit. The angel told Cornelius to send for a man named Peter. Cornelius did, and while his servants were on their way to fetch Peter, God visited Peter. He instructed Peter to go with the men and share the gospel with Cornelius. When Peter arrived, he found not only Cornelius, but his family and friends with him. Peter immediately began preaching the gospel. Cornelius, along with everyone he had invited that day, were saved! Without hesitation, Peter then called for them to be baptized.

What an uplifting story! How often are we asked to come share the gospel? It’s usually the other way around. We are asking others if we can share with them. Cornelius led by example. Because of the way he lived his life, others accepted his invitation to come listen to Peter that day. Because of his example and invitation, the entire household was saved.

Remember the excitement and joy you felt when you were first saved? May we always have our windows lit with that joy and live our lives such that our doors are open and inviting all to hear the gospel.

Just like houses require a lot of upkeep (there’s always something that needs updating, repairing, or replacing), our lives, too, continue to need attention. We are always under construction as we continue to grow and learn in Christ. But if we have Him as our foundation and remain faithful in praying, studying, attending church, and seeking His will, we will have a strong house, able to withstand whatever storms may come.

*May God bless!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCfRgNp5Ye8