Everyone Has A Room In The House Of God

by Eric Elkin

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”

— John 14:2

310 Lake Street was the address of my grandmother's house in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The house was built in 1872 by Henry Clay VanHovenberg using a Queen Anne architectural style. It is one of four large prominent homes at the intersection of Third Avenue and Lake Street. I was told the music group Bon Iver mentions the house in one of their songs.

While it was a large house, my grandmother only lived on the main floor. The other two floors were divided into apartments. These apartments were rented out to college students attending the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. I have no idea when this arrangement started, but I never knew when the house was used any other way.

Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, 310 Lake Street was really our only vacation destination. We were not a family who could afford exotic getaways. Besides, it was important for my mother to go home. I remember how excited she would get when she knew all of her brothers would be visiting this home at the same time. This did not happen very often because we all lived in such faraway places.

Our friend's two daughters both decided to attend college in Eau Claire. They live in a house not far from my grandmother's. What has been interesting for me to observe was how these two young women have bonded with the city and their house. I started wondering how many former students considered my grandmother's house their home.

“So let me be clear: I’m proud to be gay, and I consider being gay among the greatest gifts God has given me.”

— Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc.

In my grandmother's house, there are many dwelling places. For 150 years, literally, thousands of people have found a dwelling place at 310 Lake Street. People I have never even met found comfort in that house. That house was a place where they rested, studied, played, grieved, and worried about the future. More importantly, the home helped them feel like they belonged.

This passage from the Gospel of John is commonly read at funerals. We need to be reminded there is a place for our loved ones to go when they die. The words are a source of comfort for those who are left behind grieving. We also need to know there will be a place for us as well.

I was thinking about this text all week. June is PRIDE month. This is a season for people who have felt abandoned to claim pride in their identity. There will be marches and parties designed to help people celebrate. These expressions of joy are more than entertainment. They are a public declaration that people in the LGBTQ+ community are not alone, and they have a place to dwell.

As a pastor, PRIDE month is a time of sadness. It is a reminder of the wounds the Church has inflicted. But, it does not have to be this way. We all could choose to celebrate that everyone has a room in the house of God. No one is beyond God's love and grace. No one is left orphaned. This is why John 14 is read at funerals. It helps the grieving heart sing with joy.

Click to read John 14: 1-17

Reflection Questions:

Have you ever been rejected by someone? How did it feel?
Have you ever rejected someone? How do you imagine the person received your rejection?
Where is a place you feel like you belong and are safe?
How do imagine heaven to be?

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