When God Moves In and Lives Here
In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ – you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11–14 NET Read More
My neighbor recently put his house up for sale. The house sold in less than 72 hours and my whole household was wondering “who is going to be our new neighbor‽” We watched as various people came to the house and left. The realtor, the inspector, the HVAC repair company…we knew that none of them was the new neighbor.
When we saw people enter that house, most of them stood upright and had a little bit of formality about them. They were there, at just another house, doing their job, on just another day of the week. There was a sign out front that said “SOLD” that they all passed by, but otherwise it was an empty house.
One day, two cars showed up and people got out. There were kids and adults, and they entered the house in a different way. They ran up and down the stairs. They turned on every single light. We could see shadows in the basement and hear dust stirring in the attic. The garage was opened and every corner of the backyard was stepped on.
And then they left.
Even my 7-year-old knew these were different people. These were the new neighbors. They entered the house and moved around in it unlike any of the others. It would still take a few weeks, but one day the “SOLD” sign was gone. A few days later they were carrying in boxes, and in 7 days they were painting, hammering, cooking, and building childhood memories in the yard with my kids.
They had taken possession of their new home.
Just like that house, only more cosmic, God has purchased you. For some, He has yet to take possession because you haven’t closed on the deal and handed over the keys. But for those who have accepted the sale, handed over the keys to the new owner, and welcomed Him into their lives, the house is different. (And so is the neighborhood)
God is in us and lives in us by His Holy Spirit to give us new life. He doesn’t just visit us on Sunday mornings when a certain song feels good or during a mealtime prayer. God has moved into our lives and lives there, exploring every room and joyfully loving the place (YOU!) He has longed to call home.
Just like one neighbor can change a whole neighborhood, one person filled with the Holy Spirit can change the whole world.
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