“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
My mother sold our childhood home on the corner of Poplar and Birch Drives in the little town of Woodlawn. Somebody else owns it now and will change the wallpaper and put a new sink in the kitchen. I guess it happens to most families, but it feels as though I’m losing a good friend.
You see, I know that house like the back of my hand. I know how the linoleum tile squeaks by the washing machine. I know the way the rafters creak on a windy night. I recall exactly how long my sister could be in the shower before the hot water would run out. I know the smell of the cedar closets and the way the dining room looks in the moonlight.
Home is wherever your heart resides. That’s why many people call heaven or the arms of Jesus, home. But God’s Word is home, too. When the apostle Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” he is reminding us that Scripture should find a home in our hearts. We should dwell in it. Richly. For like any home, we should know God’s Word like the back of our hand.
Do you consider God’s Word a “dwelling place”? Do you reside with its promises, live with its commands? Or is Scripture something you visit only for occasional refreshment, like a vacation spot?
God wants His Word to find a home in your heart. For you, it can be a strong refuge, or a restful sanctuary from a pressure-filled world.
Wherever life takes you, home can be as close as your heart, as close as that Bible next to you.
Father, teach me to live comfortably in Your Word. When it comes to knowing Scripture, I want to feel at home.
Blessings,
Joni and Friends
