I find the image of living “in the house of the LORD” quite evocative. I think of my living space and how it’s the place where I do so many different things. At home I sometimes feel comfortable and at peace, as when I cover myself with a blanket on the couch to read a good book. Yet at times I hide in my room alone when I’m angry or devastated. I cook dinner and clean up the dishes; I start projects and sometimes finish them. In the evening my home can be a sanctuary as I finish my day. In the morning it is where I get myself ready for the day ahead.

In a world where so many people are homeless, I am aware that my home is a great gift. It is a safe place to sleep and has bathrooms, heat, and air conditioning. There’s always water to drink and a place to cook and store food. I get to live with my spouse and child, and we can welcome others into our home when we choose to do so. In all this, though, the primary value of my house isn’t the house itself but what the house makes possible—how it provides space for life and helps me prepare to venture out.

Similarly, if dwelling “in the house of the LORD” is a goal of our faith, we ought to remember that it’s not the metaphorical house we strive for but the life it enables. Living in God’s house provides me “shelter in the day of trouble.” God’s house is “the stronghold of my life,” where I need not be afraid. But then, God’s house also provides me a jumping-off point when my faith becomes less static and more of an active, engaging life of living out God’s love for all to see.