John 14:1-3 was probably the second memory verse I ever learned. As a child I always thought of it in a literal sense. Jesus was a contractor and the angels were the carpenters and plumbers. They were busy constructing fabulous mansions for us. Each home was uniquely constructed to the particular desires of the future inhabitants. This was not a cookie-cutter subdivision. So you can imagine my delight when one day I learned to think of mansions as a metaphor. All kinds of doors opened up.
Mansions were houses filled with different families. There was a Lutheran family, a Baptist family, a Catholic family and an Adventist family. There were mansions for those saved by Jesus, who had never heard of Jesus. They were saved by Him and His sacrifice for them. They just didn’t know it until He got the opportunity to tell them face to face.
Just yesterday I was thinking of I Corinthians 6:19, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?” I suddenly realized the most fabulous mansion of all is where God dwells. If He is dwelling in you, you are a fabulous mansion. I looked around the room I was in and saw a hundred mansions walking about interacting with each other. “In my Father’s house are many mansions” took on a whole new excitement.
Now I have to admit many of these mansions are in various stages of disrepair. Just like my current house they are aging and need attention. I need a new roof on my current house just as once I needed a new hip and knee in me. Surely the promise “Behold I make all things new” applies to us. Each of us will be the best looking mansion on the block.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 7, 2016
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org