Upon Every Dwelling Place – 2 Nephi 14:5

After Moses led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, the Lord gave him detailed instructions about how to build a tabernacle (Exodus 25-31).  When it was nearly complete, Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons washed their hands and their feet and then raised up the curtains to form a courtyard around the altar.  Immediately afterward, “a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exodus 40:34).  From that time forward, the tabernacle was accompanied by a cloud of smoke by day and by a pillar of fire by night whenever the Israelites were encamped.  When they needed to move, the cloud of smoke and the pillar of fire preceded them in their journey, marking the way they should go (Numbers 14:14, Nehemiah 9:12).
Isaiah prophesied that in our day, every home would have the status of the tabernacle, as symbolized by the cloud and the fire.  Every home can be a place where the Spirit of the Lord dwells.  Church leaders have taught that we should seek to stand in holy places:  “These holy places include temples, homes, and chapels. The presence of the Spirit and the behavior of those within these physical structures are what make them ‘holy places.'” (Handbook 2, section 1.4: “The Home and the Church”)

What can we do to make our homes more holy?

1. We can take care of them.  A place where we want to invite the Spirit to dwell should not be in disrepair.
2. We can set them in order.  We ought to establish good habits and routines to spend our time wisely at home.
3. We can be reverent.  We ought to think of our home as a sacred place and behave accordingly.