Lesson of the House Next Door
Our City bought the house next door to our meetinghouse within the last year. After many months of practice by the fire department, the City finally sent in the "crash bucket" on Monday, and took the house down. (Yes, they had disconnected all utilites by then, or we would have seen quite a sight!)
The house had stood for many decades, and had served well the family members who had lived within its walls. It had protected its occupants from the rains and snows and winds and cold and heart that nature had thrown at them.
A husband and wife set up their private life within its walls. Children had been raised under its roof. Young lives grew up and moved on. The adult occupants grew into old age. They died, and they, too, moved on to other habitations.
The structure had served humanity, and it had outlived its purpose. The City, which has eminent domain over all properties, had paid off the heirs of the property, and they sent in the "crash bucket" (pneumatic shovel") to remove the house from the property.
Such is the story of a human's passing. God spoke through Paul, "For we know that, if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (II Cor. 5:1) Jesus Himself promised this final abode for mankind, just after He ate His Last Supper. He promised that He would go and build us a place, an eternal place, so we could be with Him and our Heavenly Father forever, after this earth life has passed (Jn. 14:1-4).
At the end of our lives, our temples of flesh will have served us well. We will leave them behind. God, Who has eminent domain, will recall them. We won't be needing these old boeies of flesh anymore. We will need immortal bodies, designed to last an eternity. We have to be transformed, and God will work this final miracle, when Jesus returns to take us home (I Cor. 15:50-53).
Let's be ready always for this "final journey" from our house!
In memory of: Kathy Brittingham, Mary Thompson, & Steve Phillips
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