Going Home
Home. I love that word: it makes me think fondly of my family, eating together, playing games, football in the front yard. Christmas celebrations, birthdays, gathering around a table and talking. That’s how I feel now, but that was not always the case. Oh, it was, and then it wasn’t. When I walked away from God because of the hurt in my life, I also walked away from my family. It seems crazy to me now, but that’s how the enemy works. He sneaks in and tells you a small lie, then a bigger one, and then you throw away things that are the only things that matter, like your relationship with God, and the people He created for you to be with. Suddenly holiday gatherings seem like a burden, instead of a time of enjoying each other. And the longer this goes on, the bigger the mess that is made. That’s where I found myself once, but God, in His grace, opened my eyes and came and got me. And then, the paradigm shift occurred: I suddenly loved my family more than I did before: and then I wanted to be in their lives and point them to Jesus.
So, I had a thought as I was reading Isaiah 60 the other day: and the Holy Spirit, speaking through the prophet, says this: ‘Look and see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; your little daughters will be carried home. Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you.’ And it goes on like this and then in verse 8 it continues: ‘And what do I see flying like clouds to Israel, like doves to their nests? They are ships from the ends of the earth, from lands that trust in me, led by the great ships of Tarshish. They are bringing the people of Israel home from far away, carrying their silver and gold. They will honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for He has filled you with splendor. Foreigners will come to rebuild your towns, and their kings will serve you. For though I have destroyed you in my anger, I will now have mercy on you through my grace.’
I noticed the word ‘home’ and it occurred to me that ‘home’ and ‘family’ and ‘belonging’ are all God’s idea! He created in us a longing for home. A safe place, a place of rest and acceptance and belonging. So, this is what I noticed:
-we are made with a longing for home and belonging. When God created Adam, He said: ‘it’s not good for him to be alone.’ So, He created Eve, his wife. Best friend, lover, and the mother of his children. A family. This is why abandonment hurts so much: we were made to be in families, with God at the center. So, we can claim this promise if we belong to Him: if we have repented of our sins, and turned, and accepted His forgiveness, we are going home! And our sons and daughters are not forgotten, they are coming home! We are going to be together.
-the Promised Land was God’s plan for the nation of Israel to enjoy their family relationships. ‘The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. You must fear the Lord your God and serve him.’ (Deut. 6:10-13) I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I read passages like this: God’s heart is so generous toward us! He wants us to enjoy good things as families, but not so much that we forget Him.
-he places the lonely in families. ‘Father to the fatherless, defender of widows – this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families, he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy, but he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.’ (Psalm 68:5,6). I can’t help but think of our daughter and the way God freed her and brought her home. Now she and her daughter have a home, and they are surrounded by family. God did that for her: family is important to God. And He made a way for us to be in His family, through Jesus His Son! One day we will all be together, one big family, but for now, here, the church is the family of God.
-we should live our lives getting ready to go home. ‘For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever. So, we don’t look at the troubles we can see now, rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.’ (II Cor 4:17,18). And Jesus’ words in John 14:1-3: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” So, if we are still here on this earth, Jesus is getting things ready for us. We are going home, and we are going to love it.
But maybe home doesn’t make you excited. Maybe the thought of home gives you anxiety. Or maybe you’re like me and messed things up so much that you feel hopeless. Well, the good news is, no matter what it is, you don’t have to stay there! Just know that was never God’s intention for us. His heart is good and loving and kind. We were made for relationship with Him and with each other. He welcomes people back who repent and return to Him. Let Him show you a better way: get to know Him, find people who know Him, and stop listening to the enemy that your life can never change. Also see part 2: THE WAY BACK IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK.
