Numbers 35:34 "Don't desecrate the land in which you live. I live here, too—I, God, live in the same neighborhood."
Three years ago, we had house plans, a builder, financing - no land. Everything we found was either too expensive or it wasn't a place where we felt lead to build. Many years ago, a former preacher, shared in a sermon about monkeys and coconuts. A monkey will punch a hole in the coconut, just large enough to put his hand into. When he has a hold of the coconut meat though, he is unable to extract his hand because the hole is now too small. The monkey will starve to death because he is unwilling to drop the coconut meat.
We are often like the monkey - unwilling to drop the coconut meat so we can have the whole coconut. God brought this sermon to Curt and my minds as we continued to come up against closed doors. After much prayer, I finally gave up the "coconut meat" - the plan to build a home.
God has a neat sense of humor. Within two weeks we purchased the home we now live in. We were the first to look at it, bid on it and God gave it to us under appraised value. The neatest part of this place though is the set up. Our house plans had included separate living quarters, as we were wanting to have missionaries live with us when home on sabbatical. God reinforced He wanted us to have this place when we entered the walkout basement. Two bedrooms, living, dining, bath and a kitchen. It made us smile in seeing and being a part of His plan for our home. Since living here, He blessed us for nine months with the McMichael's. The blessings we received having four boys and their parents share our home with us were too numerous to count. For the past three years almost every week, we have shared a Bible study with persons who have become much more than friends - our family.
We desire to use this place for Him. It is nestled in a hollow, surrounded by trees. A sanctuary for Him. I pray that all we do, say and think will bring glory to Him throughout the time He allows us to be here. I pray that we will not desecrate it in any way. In the original Hebrew, "Abba" means "Daddy". This place belongs to our "Daddy", He lives here within us.
In His home, "Abba's Coconut".
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