Housemate Rules
But there are some nightmare stories out there of selfish and disruptive housemates who make their homes a living hell.
Jeremiah 7:1-34
Reference: v.3 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. (NIV Bible)
Explore: Throughout my late teens and twenties I lived in numerous share houses. As far as housemates went I was really fortunate. Of course we all had our moments but as a general rule we all got along pretty well. But there are some nightmare stories out there of selfish and disruptive housemates who make their homes a living hell. I heard of one housemate who, after a few drinks, would become a kleptomaniac and would steal anything that wasn’t locked down. The other members of the house would wake up to find street signs, outdoor settings and letterboxes in their lounge room! When someone is living under the same roof as you and they are disrupting the general peace and harmony of the place it affects your whole life. No one likes to initiate house meetings but there are some cases where someone needs to set some boundaries. And the consequence is often, ‘If you can’t abide by the rules then find another place to live.’
Application: This is basically what the Lord said, through Jeremiah, to the people Judah. He had given them so many second chances and tried to guide them to the right way of living and yet they continued to rebel. It was almost like nothing else seemed to be working and so He said, ‘If you can’t abide by the rules then find another place to live.’ The Israelites were so stupid they did not even realise how great their lives would have been if they had have lived within God’s boundaries. God doesn’t give us guidelines because He wants to be controlling. He knows what would be best for us and so goes out of His way to assist us. He must get so frustrated when we head off on our own way. And yet God continues to offer His grace and forgiveness to anyone who turns back to Him. I’m not sure I will ever be able to truly understand how God continues to forgive us when we continue to turn our backs on Him. Truly He is an amazing God.
Prayer: Lord, Your love and grace is beyond our understanding. May we trust that You know what is best for us as we strive to live for You. Amen.
When have you experienced the grace of God?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.