I grew up in a tree house. No, not a house built in a tree, but a house built on trees. Many homes in the Midwest are frame structures without foundations. Holes were dug along the lines of the load-bearing walls and a concrete footing was laid in the bottom. A tree trunk was put in each hole extending about 6 feet above it. On the top of these trunks were attached the large beams that supported the house. It probably struck some people as odd to see this forest in our basement.

King Solomon also had a tree house about 150′ X 75′ and 22.5′ high with four rows of cedar pillars. We don’t know what the building was used for, but it must have been impressive to be called the “House of the Forest of Lebanon.”  The nearby temple was built of stone, but was lined with cedar wood. In fact, the temple was once referred to somewhat derisively by God  as a “House of Cedar” (2 Samuel 7:6).

There is a strange tension in the Hebrew Scripture about the House of the Lord. Sometimes there are complaints about why everybody else is getting a fancy house while the temple is left in ruins. Other times there are reminders that God doesn’t need a building at all. It’s a problem that haunts the church to this day.

However your home or church is built, may both be places be built on Jesus Christ who gave himself for us in the Tree of the Cross.

Read Matthew 7:17-18 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne