In the 44 years we have been married, my wife and I have built five new homes. In retrospect, some of the decisions were relatively simple. Others were very time-consuming and much more difficult. One of the more challenging areas has been interior decorating. There were so many possibilities and combinations, including woodwork, doors, floor coverings, countertops, wallpaper, and even the type and color of paint.
Reminiscing about that project got me to thinking about a little card I saw recently published by Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago. It asked this question: “What are you doing to decorate your heavenly home?” And that question prompts yet another: “How do we decorate our heavenly home?”
The answer is a paradox, i.e., it is simple and yet complex. I know of no scripture verses which give credence to the concept of decorating our heavenly home by that name. A search of a concordance will not provide any references to “heavenly home.” And yet the concept is valid and scriptural. Here’s why.
The things that we do for the Lord while on this earth serve to decorate our heavenly home. The Apostle Paul spoke of this in 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 as he compares our works to building blocks. Christ is the sure Foundation and the Cornerstone. As a result of our faith in Christ and through personally appropriating His sacrifice on Calvary as full atonement and payment for our sins, we are building on that foundation through the deeds we do each day.
The things that are done for His sake and for His glory are likened to “gold, silver and precious stones.” The things that are done for self or for the wrong motive are likened to “wood, hay and stubble.”
There are many ways in which we can decorate our heavenly home, ways in which we can build “gold, silver and precious stones.” One of the primary ways we can do so is through giving to the Lord’s work.
In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus described our giving as laying up treasure in heaven. In fact, He went on to say that our attention will be focused on where our treasure is located. As we give to the Lord, we will be very interested in how our “investments” are doing.
Make no mistake about it: Neither giving nor any other activity will earn our heavenly home for us. Christ has already done that on Calvary. But the quality of the “decorations” there can be greatly enhanced by what we do in this life. In fact, unlike decorating a residence, the “gold, silver and precious stones” will last for eternity.