"See You at The House"

Of John Hobbs' many statements, his saying "see you at the house" is one I remember the most, one of which I believe carries a great deal of significance, and one that I would consider to be a Hobbs parable that epitomizes his life and ministry. I'll do my best to describe what I believe he was communicating and embodying in this statement. 

To do this, we must first start with who John was. He was more than a Pastor, Teacher, Leader, or Theologian. He was truly a father. One of which I believe that Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 4:15, you "have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel." John took the higher position above a "tutor" and became a father too many through Christ and the gospel.

When John entered the room you knew that a father had just walked in, and also because John was really loud and had several boisterous greetings that he used. His presence was more than wisdom and knowledge, it was the love of a father. 

A second aspect of understanding Hobbs proverb is to also understand his ministry of the Father's heart. I also remember him saying, “the deepest thing I know is this, I am my Father's son and my Father is God." This was the mission statement, if you will, of John’s life - to know the father intimately, lead others to the intimacy of the father, and also be a father to many. 

Many of us would walk with John to meet the Heavenly Father, while also simultaneously realizing that John was also a spiritual father to us as we were walking with him. Michael Ketterer has a song titled “Dusty Roads” in which he says, “And you meet me Father, on this dusty road.” More often than not, we found John on that dusty road pointing us toward the Father, to which we found what Ketterer continues to describe, 

And you come with a ring, and you come with a robe

And you meet me Father, on this dusty road

And you wipe away my tears, and you lead me home

John, as a spiritual father, would embody the Father’s love toward us as he dusted us off, and revealed to us how our Heavenly Father put a ring, a robe, and sandals on our feet in order to restore and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. 

I reflect on these dusty roads and how John unbiasedly showed love, even when we were unloveable. John was not afraid to join us on our dusty road and get in the mess with us so that he may have the opportunity to point us to “the house” where the Heavenly Father is. 

It is within this context that I believe John was saying “see you at the house.” See you at the house where the Father is. A Father who intimately loves you, cares for you, wants to meet you on the dusty road, and restore you back into sonship with Him, in order that you too may know the deepest thing that John did - “that I'm my Father's son, and my Father is God." 

John spent decades ministering on these dusty roads to bring people in the house. The beautiful part is that John knew the Father on these dusty roads, but he also now knows the Father on the streets of gold. The things of which he knew in part on these dusty roads he now knows in full on the streets of gold. I could only imagine what his reaction was like when he saw the Father face to face. He finally saw, in full, the Father he spent his life ministering with and for. 

John, we will miss you. It’s painful to loose a father, but we do not grieve without hope. For, indeed John, we will see you at the house.