Our House
Last night’s dream began at my childhood, home. The inside of the house was clean and bright with the occasional traffic of a few people coming and going and there with no one currently living in the home. The hardwood floors were clean and polished and scratched from family living from the past 50 years. The kitchen had been renovated once from the original cupboards and was now reminiscent of a popular design of light the Oak cabinets popular in the mid 90’s. The wall between the dining room and living room when removed would make an airy renovation. I heard one of the travellers strolling through the walls that the interior changes needed a contractor and I agreed, YES, a handyman is not part of my skill set. Immediately I heard a knock at the front door and opened it and found a man in a long pony tail dressed like the contractors, that I had come to know. He had a large waist belt containing every type of hand tool imaginable. I understand you need a carpenter; would you like to show me around your home and tell me what work you would like done. As we talked, I became very comfortable with his gentle manner as he listened closely to all the details of my thoughts on an updated look for the house. He felt like someone I had met before and he said a lot people said that about him. Would you trust me with a key to your property he asked? I said OK, when will you get started? Right now, he said, I will make a plan and begin.
When I returned the next day, I could hear the building process taking place in the house, it sounded like there was an immense crew of workers in there, with the blended music of saws, hammers and voices that were…singing? I knocked at the door and he came outside and said, it may not be safe for you to go inside with all that is happening, let’s talk outside and about what I had in mind for your new home. He spoke in intricate detail of the building process, in terms that I did not understand and I reminded myself again, that I was no carpenter All his ideas sound truly fantastic. James, he said I am going to ask your permission for something to which I hope you will agree. Will you the trust me with the plans I have for your house, until completion and return to see the finished product only when it is finished and if you do not like it, I will return to the way it was before I began, free of charge. Although the concept was completely foreign to me and the urge to say, NO WAY fought to the surface of my voice, what came out of my mouth was, OK, I guess I have nothing to lose.
I returned 3 days later as the suspense was killing me; I just had to see how the progress was coming. The carpenter came out of the house and said, I knew you would be back. Come in James and see your new home. How did he know my name was James, I did not remember telling him, and he called me that once before? As I walked in the front door, I had no idea where I was. Met by soaring ceilings of 10 and 20 feet with intricate moldings, gold leave paint; No- actual gold incrusted doors with gem stone handles, polished glass floors, fine purple silk tapestries hung in front of every window and yet concealed no light; the house stretched on it seemed for miles. There were some rooms in your previous home that needed some cleaning and major healing, there was a little boy hiding in a closet chained in fear that needed to be set free, there was the stench of blue smoke from a horrible argument that you had with your mother that needed to be cleansed of guilt, a jealous action against a younger brother because you felt there was not enough love in the family to go around and the unsteady feeling of the imbalance from a father who was the emotional glue of the family, his heart stretched to the limit.
All these things have been washed away, the holes have been filled with love and the former pain, tears and scars are no longer important. Who are you I asked? I am a Jewish carpenter; you can call me Jesus. What is the immense room at the centre of the house? Oh yes, this is the Throne room of the Holy Spirit where I will take up residence in your heart, should you choose to invite me in. What will that feel like I asked. Imagine a feather falling form heaven and landing deep in the core of your soul and you will know that trust in me has arrived as you will know peace, joy and confidence in eternity.
Lord is there more? What can I do the thank you? Come with me and he opened the door that led from the new home and said in my Father’s house are many mansions. He opened the door and before me was a lush green pasture as far as my eye could see and beyond. And he said to me, James come with me now and help me feed my sheep.