What kind of house are we going to build, for God? Let's turn to D&C 124 verse 40 and I want
to apply it specifically to our own lives. And here's a portion of the verse, it says,
“And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name”.
I want to spend a few minutes on the word “house”. So,
in this verse God is specifically talking about building a temple,
his temple, the house of God. So, we obviously can talk about this scripture referring to the command
to build temples. And we should all participate meaningfully in that effort.
The word house I would also like to refer to our own homes, whether you rent, or own, or you're
staying with somebody else. How are you building a home, or even a community to God?
We'll come back to that in just a minute. And I also point out that in the Hebrew,
the word for “house” actually also means a dynasty, or even posterity,
or the influence you might have on a community.
So, let's just talk about these two. So, definitely we all know that we
should be participating in temple building and temple ordinances.
I also invite us to consider that God has asked us to build
homes, or communities to him. And that we should build up posterity and people to him.
So, wherever you might be in your life, you can find a way to build a home, and a community
that is centered on the things of God; spreading light, and goodness,
helping people to be focused and centered on what really matters which is Jesus.
There's great truth and beauty throughout the world, and we should seek to acquire all of it.
We should be grounded in Jesus. And we can ask ourselves, do all of our comings and goings,
are they in the name of the Lord?
As we build a physical structure that we might live in or rent, is it something
where we can feel the presence of God? And as other people come into that physical structure do,
they also feel that they're coming into the presence of God, because of
how we treat them, and how we welcome them, or even by the words we share, or theway we might
put his words in our hearts, and possibly even on our walls?
But then if we think about building a dynasty, or more specifically posterity, or community.
How are we helping to serve others?
The community of God is growing, and building, and getting stronger. Are we contributing to
that cause, or are we tearing people down? Are we backbiting criticizing, are we undermining,
are we letting jealousy overcome our otherwise Christ-like feelings?
But if instead, we choose that we will build a community, a house,
that's focused on the name of God we may be like the people in the time of King Benjamin,
where because of the covenant they made they took upon themselves
the name of Jesus Christ, both them, and their children, and we can do the same.
So, when I read this verse, I often think about, how can I apply this to myself?
Where God has asked, “And verily I say unto you, let this house [or let this community,
let this home, let this posterity, let this people] be built unto my name”.