Home Sweet Home

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! 

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 

You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them 

when you sit in your house and 

when you walk by the way and 

when you lie down 

and when you rise up.

 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand 

and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 

You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Her flower beds are lush and her climbing vines are so romantic. When I walk up to Lori's home, I take in how beautiful it is. Truly gorgeous. And although I love her house, it's her home I truly love . . . because I know I am entering the home of a family who loves the Lord.  I know this because I know the Dunns.  If I was a solicitor, I would know this because it's posted on a small plaque on the front of their door. Is it Joshua 24:15? {I should double-check with Lori.} "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord." Whatever the scripture, their love for the Lord is literally written on the doorpost of their home. And lived out in their lives.

I have many friends whose homes reflect their devotion to God. I nearly fell over at Heather's house last fall--that banner above the hearth! I want to move in with the Grays, please; their home is pure love and joy and Canton and giggles.  And I can't get a bottled water from Shannon's fridge without seeing her cheery Scripture posted on the doors. Isn't it wonderful how our homes reflect what we value most? Framed pictures of those whom we adore, stacks of worn and read books, baskets of sweet fruit to devour, pillows crushed beneath the weight of the dog, this morning's coffee cups in the kitchen sink.  Our homes are sacred.  They are our sanctuary. 

It is here, in our homes, where so much of this passage takes place.  It's where we teach our children diligently about loving God. It's where we sit together for dinner and thank Him for our day.  Where we take a walk in our neighborhood and admire His artistry in nature. Where we sleep in His peace, and rise in new mercies.  Where we dress our kids in God's armor and slip into our garments of Strength and Dignity. It's where His Word is written on the doors of our homes, or on the fridge, or Expo-scribbled on the mirrors. It's here, where we show our children who God is--and why we love Him so.  

Home sweet home, indeed.

And, praise God, it's not perfect because there's lemonade on the floor, and so there are a kajillion fruit flies. And the "shoe soup" pile is growing at the bottom of the stairs (whose kids' shoes are those, anyway?). The laundry is overflowing, and there is not one square of toilet paper in this house ... but it's the STUFF OF LIFE. It's home. And it shouldn't be perfect.  Because Deuteronomy 6 isn't about perfect.  It's about being a family who loves the Lord. And  who love one another. And it's about parents who raise their children to know and love this amazing God, who hand-picked you to be a family.

Let's delight in our homes today, dear friends. We can praise God for fruit flies and stinky shoes and {yes} even laundry. As we settle into our day today and surrender our lives to the Lord, let's beseech Him, fill our homes.  Fill them, Lord, with laughter and joy.  Fill them with peace.  Fill them with silly memories and snuggles and love.  Fill them with compassion and serving.  Fill them with teaching moments.  Fill them however you desire, Lord. Amen.

I'm off to Costco for a whole lot of toilet paper.
And also, how do you kill fruit flies?