View source for THE MANY MANSIONS

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<p>&quot;Remember&nbsp;<em>the  words of the Lord Jesus</em>, how He said,&quot;<br><br>
  <em>&quot;In  My Father's house are many mansions!&quot;</em>&nbsp;—  John 14:2<br><br>
  What a 'home aspect' there is in this  &quot;word of Jesus!&quot; He comforts  His Church by telling those, whose wilderness wanderings will soon be finished  — that the tented tabernacle suited to their present probation-state will be  exchanged for an enduring &quot;mansion!&quot; Nor will it be a strange  dwelling — but a&nbsp;<em>Father's</em>&nbsp;<em>home</em>! A&nbsp;<em>Father's welcome</em><em>&nbsp;</em>awaits them! There will be accommodation for all  God's redeemed people. Thousands have already entered — patriarchs, prophets,  saints, martyrs, young and old — and still there is room!<br><br>
  The&nbsp;<em>pilgrim's  motto</em><em>&nbsp;</em>on earth is, &quot;Here on earth — we have no  continuing city.&quot; Even &quot;Sabbath tents&quot; must be taken down. Holy  seasons of communion must terminate. &quot;Arise, let us go from here!&quot; is  a summons which disturbs the sweetest moments of tranquillity in the Church  below. But in<em>&nbsp;</em><em>Heaven,</em><em>&nbsp;</em>every  believer becomes a&nbsp;<em>pillar</em><em>&nbsp;</em>in  the temple of God, and &quot;he shall go out no  more.&quot; Here on earth, it is but the lodging of a&nbsp;<em>wayfarer</em><em>&nbsp;</em>turning aside to tarry for the brief night. Here we  are but&nbsp;<em>temporary tenants</em>&nbsp;—  our possessions are all&nbsp;<em>transient</em>&nbsp;—  ours today — but gone tomorrow! But these many &quot;mansions&quot; are an&nbsp;<em>incorruptible</em><em>&nbsp;</em>and&nbsp;<em>eternal</em><em>&nbsp;</em>inheritance!  Nothing can touch the heavenly inheritance. Once within our Father's house —  and we are in His house forever!<br><br>
  Think, too, of Jesus,  gone to&nbsp;<em>prepare</em><em>&nbsp;</em>these  mansions, &quot;I go to prepare a place for you.&quot; What a wondrous thought  — Jesus now busied in Heaven — on His  Church's behalf! He can find no abode in all His wide dominions, befitting as a  permanent dwelling for His&nbsp;<em>ransomed</em><em>&nbsp;</em>ones.  He says, &quot;I will make a new heaven and a new earth. I will establish a special  kingdom — eternal mansions expressly for those I have redeemed with My  blood!&quot;<br><br>
  Reader, let the prospect of a dwelling  in this &quot;house of the Lord forever,&quot; reconcile you to any of the&nbsp;<em>roughness</em><em>&nbsp;</em>or&nbsp;<em>difficulties</em> in your&nbsp;<em>present path</em>&nbsp;—  to your pilgrim&nbsp;<em>provision</em><em>&nbsp;</em>and  pilgrim&nbsp;<em>fare</em>.  Let the distant beacon light, that so cheeringly speaks of a<em> Home,</em>&nbsp;brighter  and better far than the happiest of earthly ones — lead you to forget the&nbsp;<em>intervening  billows</em>, or to think of them only as&nbsp;<em>wafting  you nearer to your desired glorious haven!</em><em>&nbsp;</em>&quot;Would,&quot;  says a saint, who has now entered on his rest, &quot;that one could read, and  write, and pray, and eat and drink, and compose one's self to sleep, as with  the thought —&nbsp;<em>soon I will be in Heaven, and that forever and  ever!&quot;</em> <br><br>
  &quot;My Father's house!&quot; How many  a departing spirit has been cheered and consoled by the sight of these glorious  Mansions looming through the&nbsp;<em>mists</em><em>&nbsp;</em>of  the&nbsp;<em>dark valley of death</em>&nbsp;—  the tears of weeping friends rebuked by the gentle chiding, &quot;If you loved  Me — you would rejoice, because I said, I go to&nbsp;<em>My</em>&nbsp;<em>Father!&quot;</em><strong><em>&nbsp;</em></strong><strong>Death truly is but the entrance to our Father's house!</strong> We speak of the &quot;<em>shadow of death&quot;</em>&nbsp;—  it is only the&nbsp;<em>shadow</em>&nbsp;which  falls on the portico — as we stand for a moment knocking at the longed-for  gate! Then next — a Father's voice of&nbsp;<em>welcome</em><em>&nbsp;</em>is heard,<em>&nbsp;</em><em>&quot;Son!  you are always to be with Me, and all that I have is yours!&quot;</em></p>