Have you ever stayed in an AirBnB?
I’ve often used AirBnB when traveling, whether it’s been for business, ministry or with my family. On our most recent trip my wife, my mother-in-law and I were able to rent a three bedroom house with a large living room, a dining room and a full kitchen for less than the cost of a single hotel room. It was clean, quiet and nearby everyone and everything. And if you’re careful to book only with super-hosts, you’re virtually guaranteed a phenomenal AirBnB experience.
On the flip side of the coin, my wife and I were AirBnB hosts for a couple of years before the COVID crisis shut down travel. We’ve had hundreds of guests from all over the world, and the most rewarding experiences came from the different individuals we met. Along the way some delightful relationships got built; and all in all we enjoyed the hosting immensely. It’s opened up some great discussions about faith, too.
Well, today’s verse isn’t about AirBnB, it’s about your new roommates.
ANYONE WHO LOVES ME WILL OBEY MY TEACHING.
MY FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO THEM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH THEM.
Nothing says “closeness” in a relationship like being roommates. It’s typically a great opportunity for mutual support.
Except that Jesus never needs to be supported, He’s always the one giving it. It’s kind of a refreshing change.
I’ve been sitting here and struggling somewhat, trying to listen to the Holy Spirit speak about what He would have me write. I’m always reticent to focus too much on me or my experiences in this devotional, because this is not some personal blog. But today, I can’t quite seem to to get around it.
I gather such peace from the presence of God in my home. Before selecting today’s verse, I never really thought about Him being our house mate; but it’s such an accurate and vibrant picture. My “Roomate” is always home, always awake. He’s the first person I speak with in the morning, hours before anyone else is awake. He’s the last person I chat with at night, typically after my wife has fallen asleep.
We chat often throughout the day. As with any roommate, sometimes I initiate the conversation and at others He does. I love it when He does. I’ll be in the middle of developing a project strategy or crafting a communication, and all of a sudden a person’s name will pop into my mind. What’s even “more cool” is when they pop up on my phone!
Here’s an example that I hope will warm your heart. I exclusively use Signal for international communications. WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook messenger simply “leak” too much personal data, either deliberately or as a function of weak encryption. Whenever someone in my personal address book joins Signal, I’ll get a courtesy pop-up message. Much more often than not, I ignore them and archive them. But one day a couple of months ago when a name popped up on my screen, my Roommate let me know I needed to reach out to him.
So I sent Carl a generic message that said, “Good to see your name pop up as a Signal user. Welcome to secure communication!!! It would be great to reconnect and catch up if you have some time. Blessings, grace and peace.” A few hours later he replied and asked me to suggest a couple of convenient times, which I did. Then, silence.
Hours turned into days. And then I found out what my Roommate had already known. Carl’s message made my blood run cold.
“Sorry to not respond – let’s target a couple weeks out. My beloved bride of 50 years is about to meet face to face our Savior unless He performs a mighty miracle.”
I sat there in stunned silence taking it in for a moment. Then I realized I hadn’t responded and, of course, I needed to. I thought to myself, “I have to craft a reply. It has to be more than ‘I’m praying for you.'” That just seemed inadequate to me. Two thoughts hit my mind in rapid succession. The first one: “I’m really not sure what to say!” That was me. The second one was my Roommate. He said, “We already said it this morning.”
That morning I had written “THE ANCHOR HOLDS” and the intro question, “What do you do when life explodes and leaves a bloody mess all over your faith? Well, you look to the Anchor.” It was a devotional that explored Christ’s pathway through darkness and pain, and HIs promise to walk with us. When I got up early that morning, did my morning prayer time, and then sat at my desk to write what I heard Him saying I had no idea Carl’s message would come in 20 minutes after I posted it. But my Roommate knew. He allowed me two and a half hours to carefully consider and write the response Carl needed to hear.
Five minutes after Carl’s message arrived, I was able to write, “My brother, YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS !!!!! Little did I know how much today’s devotional would apply to your current situation. I pray it gives you strength, as I know our Lord and Savior will.” and share the link to listen to it. I cannot say if my message comforted Carl or not. But I know my Roommate comforted Him.
ANYONE WHO LOVES ME WILL OBEY MY TEACHING.
MY FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO THEM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH THEM.
So, do you love Him?
All I can say is – you ought to. He’s incomparably loveable, and He loves you.
If you love Him, He says you WILL obey Him.
That’s both a promise and a command. It encourages me to know that He says I will. I know I want to, He knows I will. And in a very special way that’s empowering.
Love and obedience lead to lots of things. Peace. Power. Direction. Provision. Wisdom. And those are all great things; they truly are.
But I’ve got to tell you, for me the best thing is that I’ve got a Roommate. He loves me, and that amazes me. He wanted to move in with me. With ME !!! That is nothing short of incomprehensible. But it is utterly wonderful.
The best part? He’s not an AirBnB guest for a quick overnight or weekend. He came to stay. He said He would make His home with you.
Welcome home, Jesus.
Welcome home.
ANYONE WHO LOVES ME WILL OBEY MY TEACHING.
MY FATHER WILL LOVE THEM, AND WE WILL COME TO THEM AND MAKE OUR HOME WITH THEM.
