What compels us to go home?
Last week we went back to our home state of New Jersey for vacation. It was hectic, relaxing and affirming—all at the same time!
Trying to visit everyone we wanted to see was hectic. They’re all on different schedules.
We did manage to get to the Jersey Shore. Boardwalk. Sea gulls. Ocean. Very relaxing.
Then we took our new grandson to meet his great-grandparents. We ate a lot of good food and spent some wonderful time with family. Being with family can be very affirming.
In every culture people try to go home. Eventually most people want to go back.
Why do we have such a deep longing for home? Perhaps the Bible gives us a clue.
“Now hold on just a minute! What does going home have to do with the Bible?”
Because the story of humankind’s first home is in the Bible.
The Bible tells us that, in the beginning, the first man and woman lived in the Garden of Eden. It was a place God made to fit them perfectly. It was their home.
In Eden they had a close personal relationship with our Creator, God. Everything they needed was in the garden. They were loved and accepted completely and unconditionally.
Then everything changed.
According to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God and were expelled from their home. They discovered that the world had become a very hostile place. But their sin prevented them from returning home.
Ever since humankind has longed to go home. To be homeward bound. To get to the place where we were loved, accepted and cared for. We think we will find it if we can just go home.
But even if we eventually return to our hometown, we discover everything has changed.
Try as we might, we cannot return to a time and place that now exists only in our minds. As someone once told me, “There’s no going back.”
Something in the human soul still longs for our ancient home in Eden where everything was perfect. But the truth is we will find it only when we reach our heavenly home.
The Bible says Abraham, the father of faith, was “looking forward to the city with foundations whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham lived in tents—temporary dwellings. According to the Bible, his longing for a permanent home was really a desire to be with God.
What’s more, Jesus said that when he returned to Heaven, he would “prepare a place” there for those who believe in him. The Bible explains that this place is not just for people of one race or nation. God wants everyone to be part of his ultimate heavenly home.
The only obstacle to keep us from reaching our ultimate home is the same one that kept Adam and Eve from going home--sin. But the message of the Bible is that God has provided a way home through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross for sin. It’s a free gift God paid for.
Now the only thing standing between home and us is whether we trust in Christ as our savior.
On the cross Jesus said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He was rejected from the family so we could be accepted in God’s family once again. And welcomed home.
As the Son of God, Jesus got what we deserved so we could receive what he deserved. So we could become sons and daughters of God and be homeward bound through faith in him.
Because of Christ, God invites us to come home.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Homesick
Last week I received an invitation to my fortieth High School Class Reunion. I guess that’s the official notice I’m now “old.”
It was exciting to hear our class is getting back together. Just thinking about visiting my hometown, seeing old friends and catching up with them made me a little homesick.
When I go, there are some places I’d like to visit. So I went online and started looking up addresses. What I discovered surprised me.
On some Google Maps there is an option called “Street Level” view. When I clicked on that, I saw that I could virtually “drive” through the streets of my hometown. It was amazing!
First I looked at my grandparents’ house. Across the street was the building where my great-grandfather had a meat market. A few doors down was a building that held a neighborhood store where I bought penny candy as a child.
Then I checked out the two houses my family lived in. I went by the schools I attended.
There was the gas station where I used to get air for my bike tires. I went by the appliance store once owned by a friend’s father. Downtown I saw where Joe’s Diner used to be.
It was almost an “out of body” experience—like I was THERE. Wow. I didn’t want to leave.
The feeling that came over me is hard to explain. Was it nostalgia, homesickness or a longing to go back to a simpler time?
There was a real sense of connection to my past. And even though I wasn’t there any more, somehow I felt like I still belonged there.
Dorothy had it right in the “Wizard of Oz.” There’s no place like home.
Then I thought, “You know what? Heaven is like that.”
Now hold it for just a minute. How is Heaven like looking at your hometown online?
Well, it’s like this: The Bible gives us a virtual picture of Heaven. We’re not there but, when you read about it, you can “see” it in your mind’s eye. Sort of a virtual reality.
In Heaven you’ll have that hometown feeling forever. And when you arrive, you’ll feel like you’re being welcomed to a combination high school and family reunion—and then some!
In his book “90 Minutes in Heaven,” Don Piper, describes his experience entering heaven like a reunion or a homecoming. It was a place where he felt he completely belonged.
Some people think that Heaven is a place where we’ll sit on clouds and play harps. But that’s just a result of someone’s active imagination.
According to the Bible, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him – but God has revealed it to us.”
In the Bible we read about a heavenly city. It’s called a “paradise.” Jesus will be there. It’s a place where there will be no more tears. We’re told people from every nation will be there.
It’s common now for people to pre-arrange their funerals. Have you made advance arrangements for eternity? Everyone will spend forever somewhere. Where will you be?
The Bible says, “The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, that’s all you need. Be sure you are trusting in him and his death on the cross for your sin.
The Bible is like God’s “Street Level” view of Heaven. It gives us just a glimpse of the ultimate hometown! One of the best parts? --It’s a place you’ll never want to leave.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
It was exciting to hear our class is getting back together. Just thinking about visiting my hometown, seeing old friends and catching up with them made me a little homesick.
When I go, there are some places I’d like to visit. So I went online and started looking up addresses. What I discovered surprised me.
On some Google Maps there is an option called “Street Level” view. When I clicked on that, I saw that I could virtually “drive” through the streets of my hometown. It was amazing!
First I looked at my grandparents’ house. Across the street was the building where my great-grandfather had a meat market. A few doors down was a building that held a neighborhood store where I bought penny candy as a child.
Then I checked out the two houses my family lived in. I went by the schools I attended.
There was the gas station where I used to get air for my bike tires. I went by the appliance store once owned by a friend’s father. Downtown I saw where Joe’s Diner used to be.
It was almost an “out of body” experience—like I was THERE. Wow. I didn’t want to leave.
The feeling that came over me is hard to explain. Was it nostalgia, homesickness or a longing to go back to a simpler time?
There was a real sense of connection to my past. And even though I wasn’t there any more, somehow I felt like I still belonged there.
Dorothy had it right in the “Wizard of Oz.” There’s no place like home.
Then I thought, “You know what? Heaven is like that.”
Now hold it for just a minute. How is Heaven like looking at your hometown online?
Well, it’s like this: The Bible gives us a virtual picture of Heaven. We’re not there but, when you read about it, you can “see” it in your mind’s eye. Sort of a virtual reality.
In Heaven you’ll have that hometown feeling forever. And when you arrive, you’ll feel like you’re being welcomed to a combination high school and family reunion—and then some!
In his book “90 Minutes in Heaven,” Don Piper, describes his experience entering heaven like a reunion or a homecoming. It was a place where he felt he completely belonged.
Some people think that Heaven is a place where we’ll sit on clouds and play harps. But that’s just a result of someone’s active imagination.
According to the Bible, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him – but God has revealed it to us.”
In the Bible we read about a heavenly city. It’s called a “paradise.” Jesus will be there. It’s a place where there will be no more tears. We’re told people from every nation will be there.
It’s common now for people to pre-arrange their funerals. Have you made advance arrangements for eternity? Everyone will spend forever somewhere. Where will you be?
The Bible says, “The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord.” If Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, that’s all you need. Be sure you are trusting in him and his death on the cross for your sin.
The Bible is like God’s “Street Level” view of Heaven. It gives us just a glimpse of the ultimate hometown! One of the best parts? --It’s a place you’ll never want to leave.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Homeward Bound
Where’s your home?
When I meet someone new I like to ask them where they’re from. Sometimes they’ll tell me where they live right now. So my next question is, “Where were you born and raised?” or “Where are you from originally? Where’s ‘home’?”
“Home is where the heart is.” Home is where you head for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if you can. It’s family, friends and a place where you sense you belong. Home is a place where you can rest. It’s where you feel safe and secure.
Often it’s right where you are. For others it’s a place far away in another state or another country. But wherever it is, it’s an anchor for your life. It helps define who you are.
Sometimes home is where you yearn to be. In the old Simon & Garfunkel standard “Homeward Bound” the lyrics speak of a seemingly endless concert tour. Then the pair admits, “And every stranger’s face I see / reminds me that I long to be / homeward bound.”
For the God-follower, the Bible says that home will one day be with God in Heaven.
Now hold on just a minute. Doesn’t the believer have a home here on earth?
Absolutely. But his or her desire is to, one day, be with the Lord forever. That’s why, after a Christian’s funeral, you’ll sometimes hear it said, “He (or she) is home with the Lord.”
The Bible says of the Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, “By faith…he was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God.” His quest didn’t keep him from setting up homes in the different places he lived in the Middle East. But as a God-seeker he knew he wouldn’t really be home until he was in the presence of God.
According to the Bible we will all be somewhere forever. Where will your home be?
When you get to the end of your life what do you expect to find on the other side? How do you hope to get there? Are you sure—sure enough to bet your life?
For the Christ follower, the Bible promises a heavenly home. It’s a place much better than sitting on a cloud and playing a harp. It’s better than you can even imagine.
First, Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for those whose faith and trust are in him for salvation. Then he said he would come back to take them to be with him.
To that the Apostle Paul added, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Heaven is too wonderful for words.
Some people think that Christians are crazy to pin their hopes on an ancient book. And with all the religions in the world there’s nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism. But when you examine the evidence, the Bible alone stands the test of time. No other book comes close.
Yes, some of its authors had visions. Many were eyewitnesses of events they recorded. Others thoroughly interviewed eyewitnesses and examined evidence. On top of that, hundreds of prophecies the Bible recorded have come true. It has more than 40 authors but they all agree that to make it to your eternal home takes faith in God--faith in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
You owe it to yourself to check it out. Don’t just take my word for it. Start with the New Testament book called the Gospel of John and take Jesus’ challenge. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” He added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul! --And it will get you home.
When I meet someone new I like to ask them where they’re from. Sometimes they’ll tell me where they live right now. So my next question is, “Where were you born and raised?” or “Where are you from originally? Where’s ‘home’?”
“Home is where the heart is.” Home is where you head for Thanksgiving and Christmas, if you can. It’s family, friends and a place where you sense you belong. Home is a place where you can rest. It’s where you feel safe and secure.
Often it’s right where you are. For others it’s a place far away in another state or another country. But wherever it is, it’s an anchor for your life. It helps define who you are.
Sometimes home is where you yearn to be. In the old Simon & Garfunkel standard “Homeward Bound” the lyrics speak of a seemingly endless concert tour. Then the pair admits, “And every stranger’s face I see / reminds me that I long to be / homeward bound.”
For the God-follower, the Bible says that home will one day be with God in Heaven.
Now hold on just a minute. Doesn’t the believer have a home here on earth?
Absolutely. But his or her desire is to, one day, be with the Lord forever. That’s why, after a Christian’s funeral, you’ll sometimes hear it said, “He (or she) is home with the Lord.”
The Bible says of the Old Testament patriarch, Abraham, “By faith…he was looking forward to the city whose architect and builder is God.” His quest didn’t keep him from setting up homes in the different places he lived in the Middle East. But as a God-seeker he knew he wouldn’t really be home until he was in the presence of God.
According to the Bible we will all be somewhere forever. Where will your home be?
When you get to the end of your life what do you expect to find on the other side? How do you hope to get there? Are you sure—sure enough to bet your life?
For the Christ follower, the Bible promises a heavenly home. It’s a place much better than sitting on a cloud and playing a harp. It’s better than you can even imagine.
First, Jesus said he was going away to prepare a place for those whose faith and trust are in him for salvation. Then he said he would come back to take them to be with him.
To that the Apostle Paul added, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” Heaven is too wonderful for words.
Some people think that Christians are crazy to pin their hopes on an ancient book. And with all the religions in the world there’s nothing wrong with a healthy skepticism. But when you examine the evidence, the Bible alone stands the test of time. No other book comes close.
Yes, some of its authors had visions. Many were eyewitnesses of events they recorded. Others thoroughly interviewed eyewitnesses and examined evidence. On top of that, hundreds of prophecies the Bible recorded have come true. It has more than 40 authors but they all agree that to make it to your eternal home takes faith in God--faith in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ.
You owe it to yourself to check it out. Don’t just take my word for it. Start with the New Testament book called the Gospel of John and take Jesus’ challenge. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.” He added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul! --And it will get you home.
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