Have you ever considered the analogy of God as a landlord and us as the tenants? It’s a fascinating concept. Imagine God as the owner of a two-family home representing our bodies, and we are the stewards of an apartment representing our bodies. God, the owner only enters their apartments when called first to set up an appointment to visit. The tenants possess the apartment’s use for a fee. In ten years, neither of my tenants has invited me to a dinner or a party. However, when something breaks, I quickly get a call; this is true for most people and Christians. Suddenly, when something breaks or isn’t working, not enough of this or that the phone call to God is now ringing off the hook. I often imagine what it must be like to have 8 billion calls at once. God must have an operator directing your call to the proper department: this example came to me by the Holy Spirit. No wonder why Catholics pray to Saints and Angels. They have the extension to the correct department; with all the calls to God and Jesus, it’s no wonder some dial Mary the Mother of Jesus directly. When you think of a Kingdom, the King does not perform the mundane chores for the Kingdom. Someone has to filter the calls. The Holy Spirit has a sense of humor, but it makes sense. It makes a person think God is saying, “You never invited me in. Now you want something.” “What you did not do for the least of my brothers, you did not do to me.” (Matthew 25:45 NIV)

Consider this: in many cases, the landlord often pays for some of the utilities, such as the water bill. The tenants would only live there with running water. The same is true about our bodies; without the breath of life, our bodies are lifeless. So God is investing in you whether you believe in God or not. In the case of Jesus, Peter and Paul’s shadows land on a faithful person, causing a healing or touching of the garment, which is the result of the degree of the Holy Spirit’s presence in them. 

Another example that is left out is not all properties are the same. Some are small shacks, while others are massive mansions requiring different amounts of energy to keep them warm or cold. The same builders have built many homes and things like Trump Tower. They each have other uses for different tents. These different tents also have larger spaces that they rent, greater pay, and more excellent abilities to host the landlord in their home. Someone living in a shack may only be able to offer you a beer while the one living in the mansion fine Champaign; of course, the landlord can also bring the tenet a gift. Not everyone is a Paul or a Peter; indeed, there is only one Jesus. We arrive at the author pointing out the shadow of Jesus, Peter, or Paul’s healing, and even pieces of the garments would heal due to people’s faith.

Mark and Bill seem to have either humans in control of our lives or the Holy Spirit, God, in control of our lives. The Spirit that dwells in me seems to disagree with those extremes; yes, God can use me to do His well even when I disobey Him, but is that the relationship God desires?  The more I thought about the tenet landlord relationship, the more I realized that it isn’t one or the other that occupies the house, meaning our body, but God is seeking a roommate. Scripture references Israel as a Wife to God and the Church as a Bribe to Jesus. A husband and a wife share the same home; they are roommates and partners; scripture tells us they become one. God wants to be roommates. He already occupies our bodies with the breath of life but wants a more active team role. God wants us to be One. Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30 NIV) With the Holy Spirit, we can be that Oneness, a team effort that works together.