This morning I felt led to read from Paul's first letter to Timothy. He made a statement that caught my eye and I want to spend some time reflecting on it. HEre is the verse - 1 Timothy 3:15 NIV:
...[15] "if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth."
The phrase that caught my eye was "God's household, which is the church of the living God". That really is a very interesting description of the church. Paul has elsewhere described the church as the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12), and this just adds another dimension to that image. The Greek word translated household is the word Oikos and it is defined as follows:
1) a house
a) an inhabited house, home
b) any building whatever
1) of a palace
2) the house of God, the tabernacle
c) any dwelling place
1) of the human body as the abode of demons that possess it
2) of tents, and huts, and later, of the nests, stalls, lairs, of animals
3) the place where one has fixed his residence, one's settled abode, domicile
2) the inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household
a) the family of God, of the Christian Church, of the church of the Old and New Testaments
3) stock, family, descendants of one
As we can see the word is quite varied in its translation. It seems to me to indicate both God's dwelling, the place where He chooses to make His home. It also seems to mean all the members of one family, and one household. It is interesting how perfectly this double meaning actually describes the church, it is both!
Now imagine if you were visiting God's actual house, somehow transported to eternity and walking through what is His actual home, and having the opportunity to stay in that house. How would you feel? How would you act? What would you think about? How would You feel when He tells you to make yourself at home? How would you treat others that were around you?
I find this a good reflection to guide me as I think about the local church, that which we attend and that which gathers in many other locations as well. How do I interact with the others that meet in God's home? Do I consider them interlopers or do I consider them co-heirs, my brothers and sisters, equally invited? Am I more worried about myself (vain imaginations) than I am about God's home?
Continuing on, I find Paul's additional description helpful. The Church is the "pillar and foundation of the truth." This statement has some real significance, and as such, should also drive behavior and thought. If the church is the pillar, that means it is a significant support to the whole structure. The pillars in modern buildings support the inner part of the building and the foundation supports the outer walls. Architecture in Paul's time was not much different, but often-times the pillars supported the outer walls as well, regardless we are talking about structure that gives strength to the whole building, the whole dwelling.
As I look at the present day church with human eyes, it seems far from this picture. In many ways it seems fragmented, divided, weak and crumbled down. However, that is with human eyes, I believe that when the Lord looks at His church, he sees us as we truly are, in Him. He is the master-builder and the master-planner, and He knows how it will all come together and when. We cannot limit ourselves to our own perceptions, but must instead look to that which is promised and prophesied about the church.
I was just thinking of an analogy to help me grasp our present situation. I felt like it was like a 1 Billion piece Lego project, and each person is given 4 or 5 pieces to put together by following the specific directions that accompanied those 4-5 pieces. God then will tell us how and when those pieces connect with other 4-5 piece clusters, all in unison and in a particular order and timing. Finally these parts are brought to the final building site, put together into the complete structure, which looks and is far more grand and glorious than any of us can imagine. We have a few words and maybe pictures to describe the final outcome, but nothing can prepare us for the reality! Now that is something I can get excited about, and still be responsible for my own 4-5 pieces.
Oh Lord, we pray that You hasten the building and finishing of Your Church, Your Household! Help us to live as we should as members of Your household. Help us to rightly respect Your overall master-plan and vision, trusting You to build your house according to Your plan! Help us to love one another and encourage one another to put their pieces together, knowing that we need all the pieces, and no one piece has precedence over any other piece!
Amen!
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