Are you having a hard time reconciling the idea of "housework" with "sanctuary?" I mean, a peaceful, calm environment hardly coincides with the reality of the clash of wills over chores and the resentment over household maintenance responsibilities. I feel ya.
You see, I think I made a big mistake early on as an adult, by thinking that "home time" was "down time." Leisure time. I really felt like I deserved to put my feet up after working, and relax to my heart's content. That worked pretty well until kids came along and I was home full time. I quickly realized that there wouldn't be much relaxing going on...but by then my habits were hard to break. Especially the mental habit that resented the "chores."
While I still struggle with organization, it has helped me to look at the "sanctuaries" in the Bible to gain some perspective and a proper mindset.
1. The garden of Eden - the world's first sanctuary. Adam and Eve had a gorgeous place to live, beautifully decorated and filled with fabulous foods. But they were given the task of managing their home and ruling over the beasts that lived there. Sound familiar?? Yeah, I thought of the beasts that live in my home, too.
2. The Tabernacle - the tent in the wilderness. It was made with what they had: woven cloth and donated gold, and was moveable. It was simple, but it worked. However, it required regular maintenance and a schedule. I guess God didn't see fit to clean it all by Hisself.
3. The Temple - the permanent home made by Solomon. It was made with the best materials and carefully built by skilled craftsmen. What a wonder it must have been! Every intricate detail was carefully carved, woven, created and placed. This home required even more tender care by teams of people who looked after it.
All three of these sanctuaries have something in common: God's presence resided there. And that's really the basis for my own home sanctuary. I want His presence to permeate our lives by being glorified in the daily life that goes on within these walls. How about you? Is that your desire, too?
And there is something else. Regular maintenance and teamwork were a part of making these sanctuaries holy places. No one person did all the work, but everyone had a part.
These places were beautiful, peaceful places where relationships could flourish. They were places of mercy and grace. They were the center of the people's lives and were a refuge from the outside world.
Oh, there are literally hundreds more observations to be made, but for your sakes I will stop here.
But do you see why there is a tug on our hearts to capture the feeling of "sanctuary" in our homes? We were made for this. God designed us to want this kind of life.
Well, you might be looking around at the nightmare at your house and wonder if you can ever get there from here.
Yes, you can.
Today's Small Thing is to read Genesis 1-3 and make at least 3 observations about that first sanctuary. You can do this in about 15 minutes, tops. Then apply what you've read to the sanctuary you want to create at home.
**Note: You might not wanna apply the "nekked" part, at least while the kids are around.
POINTS 40 for reading Genesis 1-3 and thinking about God's design for your own sanctuary.
Song of the Day: Wow, Thomas Newman
