Bless this House

a liturgy when setting up a new home in a new place

Bless this house
and make it a place of orderliness.
You arranged the sun, moon, stars, and planets,
classified flora and fauna,
and numbered my days
before one of them came to be.
It is a simple matter for You
to sort out this mess of possessions.
Share Your spatial intelligence with me,
Your organizational wisdom.
Help me to arrange each space for cleanliness, convenience, and comfort,
for me,
for guests,
for You.

Bless this house
and make it a place of healthy living for me,
with adequate resources for my physical, mental,
emotional, and spiritual well-being.
May it be a place of balance and moderation
where I rest and sleep, work and play,
exercise and eat well,
taking good care of Your temple.
May it be a place of learning and growth
where I keep on asking, seeking, and knocking,
humbly listening to Teacher and teachers,
about Word and work and life,
then wisely putting into practice.
May it be a place of relationship
where I laugh and cry with family and friends,
old and new,
in-person and online,
and where I commune with You.

Bless this house and make it a haven.
In the light of day and dark of night,
may I feel safe from the world’s evils
and secure in Your love.
When I cross the threshold
after venturing out into an unfamiliar culture,
I’ll set down my bag, remove my shoes,
and hang up my coat.
At the same time, I’ll hand over my worries, frustrations, and hurts to You,
sighing into the shelter of Your wings.
When guests cross my threshold,
teammates or friends,
students or colleagues,
may they also leave their burdens at the door
and step into a place of safety and peace.
May all who enter find rest for their weary souls.

Bless this house with Your presence.
I invite You into every room,
every conversation,
every thought,
and into a special nook
where You and I will meet together.
Help me to settle in,
but remind me that this house is temporary.
My home is with You.

Further exploration

You can find a printable version of this liturgy here: Bless this House.

Post Author

Melissa K Smith

Series Editor

Erika McIntyre

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Image designed by Elaine Liu.