Line upon Line

The following is excerpted from LDS Living. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. 

In April 2009 general conference, Elder Gary E. Stevenson gave a powerful talk about the sacred relationship between the temple and the home. Referring to the story of King Benjamin directing his people to gather and turn the doors of their tents to the temple, he said, “Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a ‘house of the Lord.”

Let’s look at the last part of that quote once again—“we can make our homes a ‘house of the Lord.’” That’s a beautiful concept, and one worth striving for. Just imagine what our homes could be like if they were a little bit more like the temple and how much more often the Spirit would be present there. The thought of creating a holier home may seem daunting, but don’t let that deter you. All that matters is that we improve in little ways that make sense for our living situation and circumstances.

So where do we start? There are all kinds of ideas you could implement, and some may suit your needs better than others. But here are three actionable ideas that can help you get going.

First, like other church buildings, your home can be dedicated through the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood. But there’s an important difference to note when dedicating your home: according to the Church handbook, “homes are not consecrated to the Lord.” Instead, dedicating your home is a simply a beautiful opportunity to involve the Lord in making your home a sacred place.

The Church handbook explains that the person who dedicates the home should be a Melchizedek Priesthood holder. If there is not a Melchizedek Priesthood holder in the home, it may be dedicated by “a close friend, relative, or ministering brother who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood.” Additionally, “homes do not need to be owned or free of debt to be dedicated.”

Dedicating your home may not be as common of an occurrence as other priesthood blessings, but don’t let that keep you from doing it. And the process is actually quite simple—the Church handbook instructs that the Melchizedek Priesthood holder who is dedicating the home should follow these easy steps:

1. Address Heavenly Father in prayer.
2. State that he is acting by the authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood.
3. Dedicate the home as a sacred place where the Holy Spirit can reside and give other words as guided by the Spirit. For example, he might bless the home to be a place where family members can worship, find safety from the world, grow spiritually, and prepare for eternal family relationships.
4. Close in the name of Jesus Christ.

From these instructions, we can see that dedicating a house isn’t just for the house—it’s for those who will live and grow within its walls. Dedicating your home can help lay the spiritual foundation you need to create a “house of the Lord” now and in the future. While the blessing itself may be simple, it can have a profound impact on you and your loved ones for years to come.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.