A Place For Him To Stay
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, my thoughts and preparation have been on creating a place for Him to stay.
In years past, I’ve thought of an empty room. I’ve gotten all the bad stuff out. It’s all cleaned out, but it’s just an empty room. I thought, This is not very inviting for someone who’s coming to stay, there’s nowhere to sleep or sit, not even a light in the room.
I’ve envisioned that God would bring all those things, or maybe He doesn’t need any of those things, but if I want Him to stay, it needs to be a place to live. And so, in the story of the Shunammite woman who built a room for Elisha to stay, she added a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp. These four things created a space that was functional. It was fully furnished.
Bed: peace … ark — A place in me prepared for peace
Table: receive … showbread — A place in me prepared to receive
Chair: rest … altar of incense — A place in me prepared to communicate together
Lamp: revelation … understanding … illumination — A place in me prepared to see
Over the years, we have seen the representation of the Tabernacle that Moses was instructed to build in the wilderness, and we can equate that to the church and to parts of our own lives.
But I wanted to make this a personal thing, that in me is a place for God to dwell.
And beyond that, those four things represent something that God can come and do in me.
This is a place in which I am still and know that He is God, and together we live.
Martha was busy trying to get the room cleaned out, while Mary recognized His arrival and simply sat with Him and listened to Him. As we approach this time of God’s arrival, may we be prepared to sit with Him in a place that is ready. And if it’s not perfect, let us be thankful that He will help us complete it, making it a home.
As we look forward to celebrating the Day of Atonement, letting God know that yes, we want our names written in the Book of Life, I’m thankful that they are there, and that they need not be blotted out.
Reflection Questions
How did this story help you in your preparation for Tabernacles?
How do you see God’s coming and dwelling with you differently?
What part of this message caused the Word of God to come alive to you?
How did this story help you in your preparation for Tabernacles? This story helped me in my preparation for Tabernacles by helping me realize I don’t just need to make sure there is a space for God, but also a “place for Him.”
How do you see God’s coming and dwelling with your differently? I see God’s coming and dwelling differently in the fact that He wants a place that wants Him. One that is prepared and ready for Him and wants Him to stay and not just visit!
What part of this message caused the Word of God to come alive to you? The part that caused the word to come alive was all of it! During…
Thank you Pastor Aaron for given us a fresh look at God coming to dwell with us, it definitely helped me.
How did this story help you in your preparation for Tabernacles? It is really helping me shift my focus from "gotta get myself clean" to "I really want to be with You Father, every day. I want to talk with You and know You more than yesterday". It reminds me that God already knows us. He knows what needs cleaning up and what is in great shape. None of it is a surprise to Him, so there is no need to stressed out about not being good enough or worried He won't want to come at all. Yet, because…
How did this story help you in your preparation for Tabernacles?
This story helped me prepare for Tabernacles to make sure my house is clean but yet lived in enough that He wants to come and live there not just visit. In the natural, I get really uneasy if a house is too clean because then I do not want to be the one to mess it up or cause the owner to not want me back due to the "mess" I caused. I want my Tabernacle to be a place where He has everything He needs to come and dwell in and be welcome to stay for as long as He wants, like forever!
How do you see God’s…
How did this story help you in life. Your preparation for tabernacles ?
Well during Pastor Aaron's message on Sunday he asked us on making him a place in our homes this made me think have I made a permanent place to have comfort and peace in my home because he has done that for me. So this required me to do some fall cleaning something's I found I no longer need and I discovered I needed to get New things also. But what I discovered during this message was I want to welcome God not just in my life but my home he as blessed me with because of God I would not have a place to go and…
How did this story help you in your preparation for Tabernacles?
The focus of really wanting to be with Him, making a place for Him. What He considers inviting. Bring focus like the shunammite woman, concerned for Him with care. Taking Him seriously, not myself. Prepare, yes, but the focus is on preparing for the company, not the preparation itself. The preparation is the process to get to the goal of time and relationship with the One to come.
How do you see God’s coming and dwelling with you differently?
I am to "bring something to the table"... (or really, bring the table :)) And the furnishings can be simple. Doesn't need to be lavish or extravagant, but pure and…