2004-06-24 - Not Home

John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (KJV)

I'm away from home tonight, attending a class for my company. While it's nice to meet new people and learn new things, I still go back to a strange room without the people and things that are familiar to me. If I want something as simple as a snack, I have to drive to get it. Getting back to familiar faces and territory will be very nice.

Christians have a similar problem every day of their mortal lives. We are not home. While this world is a place filled with amazing vistas and beautiful sunrises, there is also pain and sorrow, and the simple fact of aging to contend with too. While I am young enough to have the bulk of my friends still alive, my best friend from high school died in the Air Force more than 10 years ago. A number of my friends, including a few special ones, live many miles away.

My life here is far from anything approaching bad. There are many who must watch their children go to bed hungry, which must be worse than going hungry yourself. My family, friends and myself are all healthy. I'm blessed in many, many ways. Still there are times when Heaven is looked forward to with hope. That is a time when we will be reunited with grandparents and friends long-gone. When we who know the Lord as Savior will be together for eternity, freed from the pull of sin and mortality.

And there will be Jesus. While He is with us always, and we have the Holy Spirit living in us as a promise of things to come, there will be a day when we will see face to face, Him Who loved us while we were His enemies. What a day that will be, when the veil is rolled back and things become clear. Now please do not be concerned. I am in no particular rush. I will arrive at that day in Jesus' good time, along with many of you. And, whether it be through death or the rapture of the church, on that day, we will be home.

Grace & Peace,
Mike

mike@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org