Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. (Psalm 84:3-4)

When I was young, our home served as a hospitality home, and all kinds of gatherings were often held there. Because of this, I could hardly tell the difference between my home and God’s house. To me, my home was God’s house, and God’s house was my home. As I grew older, the Lord called me to serve Him. Because of the ministry, just a few months after getting married, my wife and I moved into the church facilities. It felt as though I had returned to the life I knew as a child, except that now my wife and I had taken on the roles my parents once had—serving in various gatherings there. It was still that same familiar feeling: my home was God’s house, and God’s house was my home. Later, our three children were born while we were living and serving in the church, and their early childhood was much like mine. They gradually grew up surrounded by the many gatherings and activities of the church. From a young age, they too seemed unable to distinguish clearly between our home and God’s house.

Later still, God brought our whole family to SVCA. When we were looking for a place to live, the most important thing we asked of the Lord was that we might live closer to the church. My wife and I shared the same conviction: we wanted to give the entire relocation allowance, together with my first paycheck, toward the construction of Bethel Hall. In this way, we wanted to express that we were establishing our new home within God’s house.

And so, we can hardly tell the difference between our home and God’s house again.