Dwelling Places

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.”

Thomas said to him, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:1-6)

Quite the claim made by John, presumably quoting Jesus.  And, that’s the big question.  Did he?  Perhaps. 

We know there are many dwelling places in our Father’s house.  Do we have a place among them?  Very likely provided we honor and follow Jesus who claimed to be the way, the truth, and the light.  

How do we define and understand these three so we may gain entrance? Fairly easy, I would say. We find and use the keys to entrance doors when we glorify God.  John tells us how. Jesus said: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We live in our Father’s house rent free when we hear his voice and do his will.

Another understanding of Jesus would be that we are all God's houses in which God resides - in our hearts.  That being the case, those of all faiths are God's houses as well.  The challenge for all of us Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc. is to make our houses ready.  We must prepare places for God only made possible with warm and open hearts - as well as open minds.

Deacon David Pierce