Let’s play house.

Wednesday 10-12-2016  Martínez, Argentina

Today we read: Neh 7 – 8  and  Acts 1

S.  Neh 8:11-12 “Hush! Don't weep! For this is a sacred day."

Vs 16-18 So the people went out and cut branches and used them to build shelters on the roofs of their houses, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of God's Temple, or in the squares just inside the Water Gate and the Ephraim Gate. So everyone who had returned from captivity lived in these shelters for the seven days of the festival, and everyone was filled with great joy! The Israelites had not celebrated this way since the days of Joshua son of Nun. NLT

O. Governor Nehemiah and Ezra the priest are bringing the Israelites back to their roots. For decades they had been held captive as slaves. Now the nation is being born-again and Ezra takes them back to the written Word of God. Many of them weep in repentance when they become aware of how far they have strayed from God’s plans. But now, they are told to dry their tears. It is time to celebrate. So they did it up right by celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles, each family building little temporary shelters and eating and sleeping in them. This was a memorial of how they once lived in tents in the wilderness.

A. When we were children we like to play “house”.  We would take a blanket and stretch it from the couch to some chairs and crawl inside our tent… or outdoors we would use fallen branches or whatever to build a “hut”. What fun! Perhaps this strange custom in Israel was to remind them how temporal our dwellings are. We build beautiful homes and sit back to think we are all set for many decades. But God calls me back to remember that this world is really not my home. 

P. Today in many of our churches the most poverty stricken live much higher than the richest in many other areas of this globe. Back when I was a child during the great depression we sang with enthusiasm: “This world is not my home…” Today, I have been so blessed that it is easy get attached to my comfortable life style. Such songs have long since disappeared from among my people. Maybe I need to celebrate a “Feast of Tabernacles” once in a while and live for a few days without a soft bed and hot water for a shower… like most of the people on this spinning space ship. Remind me, Lord, today where my real home is. Amen.

Ralph

This World Is Not My Home Lyrics

Jim Reeves

This world is not my home I'm just a passing through
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore
Oh lord you know I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home then lord what will I do
The angels beckon me from heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore

I have a loving mother just over in gloryland
And I don't expect to stop until I shake her hand
She's waiting now for me in heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore
Oh lord you know I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home Then lord what will I do

The angels beckon me From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

Just over in gloryland
We'll live eternally
The saints on every hand are shouting victory

Their songs of sweetest praise
Drift back from heaven's shore
And I can't feel at home In this world anymore

Oh lord, you know I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home Then lord what will I do

The angels beckon me From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home In this world anymore