“Our Father, who art in Heaven”

Intermittently, over the last few years, I have watched HGTV shows and Youtube videos documenting tiny homes, people who live in vans and Teslas, home makeovers, and a variety of home tours of the rich and famous.

All of them generally have the same affect on me—they make me grateful for my current home and they remind me that Jesus has told us that he is preparing places for us to “dwell” in heaven, forever.

I chafe at the translation of “dwelling” into “mansions,” not because God is not capable of building mansions, but because most mansions I have seen are not designed for the big, sprawling foster family that Jesus seems to rep for.

He kinda told one potential follower that he was homeless.

He was a carpenter but did not build himself a home.

Once, when I lived in a messy old house on the coast, I had a realization—Heaven could be pretty pared down in the “fixings” as long as the people who sat on the back porch with you were your treasures.

We are God’s treasure. He longs to spend time with us and he rewards those who long to spend time with him.

He is who is in heaven

He makes his art there, and I have little doubt that heaven will amaze us.

Those who long for it, as they long for him, will find it oddly familiar—a place full of comfort, “for the healing of the nations.”

Dad wants all his kiddos to come home, so he makes a place for them.