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God's Address

 Where Does God Live?

When I was growing up, there was a popular song in which a child asked: “How far is heaven? When can I go?” I don’t know that anyone has been able to answer the child’s question. Apparently, heaven is a far away place. I was told that this is where God lived.

In 2 Samuel 7, David plans to build a house for God. This is curious. Let’s interrogate David and 2 Samuel 7. Christianity has historically suggest
ed that God lived in the places where the people who say they are God’s people lived. This would give rise to all sorts of land-holding drama as peoples across the globe attempt to pin God down to place and time.

Now, I get David. I would feel some kind of way if I lived in a mansion and my understanding of where God lived was a temporary knock-up which a hurricane could easily uproot and destroy. I get that. Nonetheless, I question David’s motives and how this idea of tying God down to a particular place has encouraged people groups to ‘other’ one another. Could David want to build a mansion for God so that he could claim God’s favor only for himself and his people?

In the passage, David was reminded of his own short-comings and ours; that we do not get to hold God to the exclusion of anyone else. God does not dwell with us and not with anyone else.

When my older son was a little boy and continuing up until his death at 23, he had these tough questions about the Bible that would excite me. It was a good place to put my own ruminations. In that respect, we were much the same. Anyway, I remember him as a little boy asking: “Mommy, where does God live?”

If we put David’s intentions in conversation with Rev 21 where we are told the home of God is with mortals, we might begin to decolonize the home of God. The home of God is with mortals. God dwells among us – not just us, us; with everyone. No exclusions. Every follower of Jesus needs to come to terms with, and intentionally practice this. God indeed, dwells with all people.

How far is heaven? Heaven is as far as our actions decide or as near as we determine. Heaven is here. Heaven is now. Let’s continue to work to make it so. God bless you!  







Born and raised on The Gem of the Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda), I am an immigrant living in the U.S. with my Fantastic Four and High School boops.

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