My Father’s House


“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. -John 14:1-3 NRSV

Ever think of Heaven as God's house? The imagery is a bit limiting as an earthly house has a finite number of rooms. Even so, when I think of the word house I see it as a place where a family lives. It is a communal setting where life is lived by people who belong to each other. Perhaps this sense of familial connection is why Jesus calls Heaven a house?

I love how Jesus wants believers to be with him. This desire touches me so deeply. Knowing that Jesus has gone to Heaven before me and desires me to be with him calms my troubled heart in trying times. Understanding that I will one day be with family again encourages me so deeply. It is why I long for my Father's house. My home in heaven.

Help me Lord to live a life that understands that heaven is my home.


... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.

7 comments:

  1. This was the scripture talked about at the memorial service we went to yesterday.
    I really find comfort knowing Jesus wants me with him in his house.
    We are just beginning a study on heaven in our small group. We are using the book "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn.
    I think it's going to be a great and challenging book on a really little studied topic.
    I'll keep you updated as we go along.

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    1. Thanks Sue. Our small group has been reading the Alcorn book on Heaven for a month now. I am pretty unimpressed with his dogmatic theology of heaven. That said, I may be misunderstanding som of what he writes. So I will be interested to hear your take on it.

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    2. I'm interested to see what he has to say.
      I really have never studied or thought a whole lot about the facts of heaven.
      I just know that's where I'm going and it will be so much better than what our time on earth is now.

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    3. His thoughts on the New Earth are thought provoking.

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  2. My friend Kris (known since I was three and she was four) and I have dreamed of having mansions next door to each other in heaven. We always wanted to live next to each other when we were grown, since we lived next door during all our childhood. But ministry would take us in different directions...Her and Husband to Oxaca Mexico with Wycliff Bible Translators, and Don and I in church ministries in the states. We have always said God knew our hearts, and since we served Him in this lifetime....he would let us be neighbors in heaven. It's a silly girls dream...but we have stuck to that story...HaHa...

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    1. Love that Wanda! I hope to be in your heavenly neighborhood!

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    2. Well to the neighborhood, Bob and Ann. Would love to have you as neighbors.

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