Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel. 1 Kings 6:12-13
When my kids left home and went off to college, I missed them. Fortunately, my wife and I love each other and enjoy our empty nest time together, so we’ve been fine. Over the last couple of years, we’ve built a new house with room for our kids, expecting that they’ll use this space when they come home for holidays. Now however, circumstances have brought us to a place where both of our kids are home quite a bit. We know it won’t last, but we’re enjoying it while it does. I’m sure every mother loves having her kids home and I know that, as their father, I’m reveling in it. I’ve waited with anticipation for Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks when they’re both home. Now, unexpectedly, I’ve got them both under my roof quite often and I find that those moments when we’re all together, enjoying each other’s company, are priceless. I love having my kids home.
This is what I thought of when I read today’s passage. In the story, as Solomon directed his people to build God’s temple, God revealed his heart to Solomon. It was, God said, his desire to live with his people and for his people to live with him. As their heavenly father, God sought to exist in a loving, intimate relationship with his children. As the Israelites built God a temple, he promised to dwell there with them. God loves having his kids home. Like any good father, God had some boundaries. For the relationship to be harmonious, his children needed to live as he instructed. If they failed to obey, they would ruin things. If they followed God’s instruction however, they would live in peace with the father, which is what he desired. God just wants his kids to come home.
God desires the same from us. He desperately desires that we live in a loving relationship with him. If my kids lived a few minutes away but refused to come visit regularly, I’d be hurt. So it is with God. It wounds him when we refuse to dwell with him. As our heavenly father, he loves us and wants what’s best for us, but so often, we insist on going our own way, hurting ourselves in the process. If we desire it though, there is a new life waiting for us with our heavenly father, who simply wants us to come home.