As the floors, then the roof, then the interior walls have taken shape in our new house, I have started prayerwalking the rooms and halls. I imagine and then pray for the people who will come through the front door, the people who will sit in our living room or family room or those who we’ll share meals with around the kitchen table, in the dining room or around the bar in the kitchen. I can already see the faces, hear the laughter, feel the hugs and smell the food cooking on the stove.
As I’ve selected paint colors, light fixtures, cabinet styles and the million or so other decisions that go into putting a house together, various Scripture verses and passages have come to mind. Our plan is to have grandchildren inscribe their own favorite verses into the subflooring — a symbolic way to infuse the house and its foundation with the Word. As that happens in the coming weeks, I’ll add photos to this post. But, for now, here are some verses that various rooms bring to mind:
ENTRANCE –
Hebrews 13:2 – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Luke 10:38 – “Now as they were traveling along, He (Jesus) entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.”
1 Peter 4:9 – “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.”
Romans 13:10 – “Love does no wrong to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Romans 12:13 – “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.”
Matthew 25:35 – “I (Jesus) was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
LIVING ROOM, FAMILY ROOM, BACK PORCH –
Ephesians 4:29 – “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
Colossians 4:6 – “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
Proverbs 17:27 – “He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”
Proverbs 17:22 – “A cheerful heart is good medicine”
Proverbs 15:13 – “A joyful heart makes a cheerful face”
Proverbs 15:15 – “for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”
Proverbs 16:24 – “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
KITCHEN, DINING ROOM, PICNIC TABLE –
John 6:35 – “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Acts 2:46-47 – “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Nehemiah 8:10 – “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
MASTER BEDROOM –
Ephesians 4:2-3 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Ephesians 3:22 – “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.”
Ephesians 3:25-28 – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.”
Colossians 3:18-19 – “Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
LAUNDRY ROOM (would also work with showers and bathtubs) –
Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”
Psalm 51:2 – “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.”
1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Hebrews 10:22 – “let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
I’d love to have your help. Share some more verses with me. I know there must be dozens for each category.
I would also recommend that you prayerwalk the rooms of your own home — new, not-so-new, rented, shared, a cabin, a condo, an apartment, a mobile home, a motorhome, a bungalow or a mansion. Those of us who are in Christ desire to be surrounded in the Truth, and wherever we “dwell,” He is with us.
As it turned out, daughter Laura and her two came to visit for a few days. Not surprisingly, they each had their own ideas for verses to contribute to the floor.
Megan wanted to add the fruit of the Spirit to the kitchen — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control – Galatians 5:22-23
Nathan added Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
All three are hard at work in the Family Room.
Nathan added Psalm 1:1 to the boys room — “Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.”
Laura adds Psalm 34:8 to the dining room — “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Megan adds Proverbs 31:30 to the floor of the girls’ room. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
Wow! It is such a blessing for the Word to be a deep part of their lives. What better Mother’s Day present could there be??
Beautiful!!
What a blessing! Thank you Connie!
Thank you for sharing the scriptures for each room. We also have scripture on our sub flooring It is powerful.