10 Day Thanksgiving Journey: Day 5: Home

What comes to mind when you think of “home”? Is it a particular location? Feeling? Building? Atmosphere? Group of people? I have lived in several “houses” over my fifty plus years. And for me, the house hasn’t meant near as much to me as the people who were in the house with me. My guess is you would say the same. One of Todd and my favorite houses was a little two-bedroom green house; it was our first home purchase. Although we moved out of it many years ago, and it has since been re-sided and updated by its current owners, to us it is still referred to as our “little green house”. The little green house holds many memories for us, and much laughter as people continually said, “you live in a two bedroom house with four boys?” Yes, we did. The basement had later made room for an extra bedroom. The living room was crowded with our own children and the youth we worked with. Four generations would fill the living room for birthday parties. And we loved it. It was home. And we were thankful. When son number five made his way into the world, the Lord blessed us with a larger house, but that is a story for another day. The point of today’s thankful topic, home, is another one I think we often take for granted. Do we take time to thank God for the roof over our head? Regardless of if the roof needs repair. Regardless of if we are crowded or have plenty of room. Regardless of the location? Do we take time to thank God for the home we have today? He can help you make your house a home. He can create the atmosphere within your home. He can create contentment in your heart regarding your home. He can use your home to be a place of ministry. So today, whether you live in a tiny home or live in a spacious home, thank God for your home today and invite Him to make it the home of your dreams.

Proverbs 24:3-4 “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”

2 Chronicles 7:15-16 “Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time.”

Ask God to give you a spirit of contentment for the house He has given you. Ask Him to show you something you could do to make it even more of a “home” for you and your family. Bless someone else by asking them to come to your home for a tea, a visit, some encouragement.

Heavenly Father, I thank you and praise you for the home you have given me. I know I often take for granted that when I lay my head on the pillow there is a roof over my head. Today, I thank you for that roof. I ask for you to fill me with a spirit of contentment for the home you have given me. I ask that you would show me how to use this home to bless someone else. Bring someone’s name to my mind right now who would benefit from having an invitation to my home for a visit. Lord, please fill my home with your love, that it would be a place where family and friends would feel your spirit upon coming through the doors. Thank you. Amen