Holy Spirit Is My Roommate

Have you ever considered the analogy of God as a landlord and us as the tenants? It's a fascinating concept. Imagine God as the owner of a two-family home, representing our bodies, and we are the stewards of an apartment, representing our bodies. God, the owner only enters their apartments when called first to set up an appointment to visit. The tenants possess the use of the apartment for a fee. In ten years, neither of my tenants has invited me to a dinner or a party. However, when something breaks, I quickly receive a call; this is true for most people, including Christians. Suddenly, when something breaks or isn’t working, not enough of this or that, the phone call to God is now ringing off the hook. I often imagine what it must be like to handle 8 billion calls simultaneously . God must have an operator directing your call to the proper department: this example came to me by the Holy Spirit. No wonder why Catholics pray to Saints and Angels. They have the extension to the correct department; with all the calls to God and Jesus, it’s no wonder some dial Mary the Mother of Jesus directly. When you think of a Kingdom, the King does not perform the mundane chores for the Kingdom. Someone has to filter the calls. The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor, but it makes sense. It makes a person think God is saying, “You never invited me in. Now you want something.” “What you did not do for the least of my brothers, you did not do to me.” (Matthew 25:45 NIV)

Consider this: in many cases, the landlord often pays for some of the utilities, such as the water bill. The tenants would only live there with running water. The same is true about our bodies; without the breath of life, our bodies are lifeless. So God is investing in you whether you believe in God or not. In the case of Jesus, Peter and Paul’s shadows land on a faithful person, causing a healing or touching of the garment, which is the result of the degree of the Holy Spirit’s presence in them. 

Another example that is left out is that not all properties are the same. Some are small shacks, while others are massive mansions that require different amounts of energy to keep them warm or cool. The same builders have constructed many homes and notable structures, including Trump Tower. They each have other uses for different tents. These different tents also offer larger spaces for rent, higher pay, and better facilities to accommodate the landlord in their home. Someone living in a shack may only be able to offer you a beer, while the one living in the mansion can provide you with fine Champagne; of course, the landlord can also bring the tenant a gift. Not everyone is a Paul or a Peter; indeed, there is only one Jesus. We arrive at the author pointing out the shadow of Jesus, Peter, or Paul's healing, and even pieces of the garments would heal due to people's faith.

.

Mark and Bill seem to have either humans in control of our lives or the Holy Spirit, God, in control of our lives. The Spirit that dwells in me seems to disagree with those extremes; yes, God can use me to do His will, even when I disobey Him, but is that the kind of relationship God desires?  The more I thought about the tenet landlord relationship, the more I realized that it isn’t one or the other that occupies the house, meaning our body, but God is seeking a roommate. Scripture references Israel as God's wife and the Church as Jesus' bride. A husband and a wife share the same home; they are both roommates and partners; scripture tells us they become one flesh. God wants to be roommates. He already occupies our bodies with the breath of life, but wants a more active team role. God wants us to be one. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 NIV) With the Holy Spirit, we can be that Oneness, a team effort that works together.