Going Home Again

 I don't know about you, but home has always had a special place in my heart. It has always been about family, love, and security. As a boy, I might have wanted to keep playing, but it was always great to be at home. When I went to Baylor, I was excited to be able to drive 18 hours to get "home." After getting married, home was my happy place with Chris and the kids. I believe that is the feeling God wants all of us to have when we think about going home. I pray it has been that way for you. If not, I pray you will find a home like that soon.

The Lord's people had been in exile in Babylon for 70 years. The waiting time was finally over, and God gave them a promise. (Jeremiah 50:19) "And I will bring Israel home again to its own land, to feed in the fields of Carmel and Bashan, and to be satisfied once more in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead." I am sure those words brought joy to the hearts of His people as they anticipated being back home again. Let's think about why this is so important for all of us.

We all need a place where we are loved and safe from the attacks of others in this world who might do us harm. Children need a home environment where they can play and grow in the love and admonition of their parents. We all need a place to relax be at ease, while interacting with those who love us and whom we love. That has always been God's design for us, but it is not always that way. Sometimes, we need another home to provide these things for us.

The local church is to be a family, and when we are at church, we should have all of these benefits I have named. We should be with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should all love each other and take care of each other. It should be a place where we are comfortable being ourselves. We should always look forward to "going home" to our church family. However, heaven is our ultimate, perfect home, where we will be with our Loving Father, Our Savior, our Holy Spirit, and with all of the family members who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We should look forward to going there every day great with anticipation, because nothing could ever be better than going to our forever home.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 52 and Lamentations 1-2.