Our House - His Home

^3-4 It takes wisdom to build a house,
   and understanding to set it on a firm foundation;
It takes knowledge to furnish its rooms
   with fine furniture and beautiful draperies.

(Proverbs 24:3-4)

God's dwelling is our heart - he inhabits us.  The house he builds is built by wisdom - but its foundations are laid by understanding.  Understanding is comprehension of truth - the ability to take in what is taught and to put it to use.  We all possess power to learn - to think on our own.  Yet, we don't all have a consistency in allowing only the tested teachings of God to enter into our comprehension.  We need to learn to "filter" what we "build upon" in our lives.

Wisdom is good judgment - a wise builder uses the solid basis of what has been learned from the Word.  We can "build quickly" or we can "build solidly".  The choice is ours.  If we use wise counsel to build and maintain the foundation of the structure of our lives, we find that we have a dwelling capable of being furnished lavishly!

What does it mean to be "well-furnished" by God?  I think it means possessing the knowledge of his character, understanding his faithfulness toward us, and learning the permanence of his overwhelming love for us.  In apprehending these truths about our Lord, we begin to learn the significance of engrafting these qualities into our "home".  

We all desire to live in an environment rich in love and mercy - even if we have never really known that in our lives.  We want to be in an environment that is open to sharing - even if we have only known selfishness and mistrust.  God wants to create that kind of environment in our hearts and minds - opening us to the possibilities of his "furnishing" us with all manner of blessing.

It is as we become well-acquainted with Jesus that we lay the foundations that open the door to the "furnishing" of our inner man.  As we examine the truths he gives us in his Word - we learn how to build wisely.  

Think of a building project you have seen lately.  It may seem like the time from surveying the land to seeing the walls begin to go up takes almost forever.  As soon as we see the foundation begin to take shape, we "think" we know what the house will look like.  In just a short while, walls may begin to take form - sometimes changing our perception of what we "thought" would be built on that foundation.

Over the course of the project, the intended usefulness of the foundation begins to take substantive form - it reveals its purpose.  That is how it is with us in our walk with Christ - the foundation is laid, not fully understanding the purpose of the particular foundation laid by the time we spend in the Word, in prayer, and in times of fellowship with other believers.  Yet, in time, the purpose of what was laid down is revealed.  As it is, God is pleased to fill us up with all kinds of "furnishings" that accomplish the purposes he has designed for each of us.

So, considering "furniture" shopping today?  Let God show you what he has designed in your "foundation" today and then let him guide you into the "furnishing" of your inner man.  You may be surprised what our "interior designer" has in store!