Home!

“Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6 NLT)

What comes to the forefront of your mind when you think about heaven? Yes, it somewhat depends on your frame of reference. If you’ve known and served Jesus for many years, He’s very likely at the top of your list in terms of heaven’s main attractions. But for those of you who haven’t walked with Him very long, you may still find this life very appealing. And for those who haven’t yet met the Lord Jesus, heaven may be completely incomprehensible.

When you consider heaven as your eternal home, what thoughts crowd your mind? Do you think of home as the yellow brick house you grew up in as a child? A small rat-infested apartment you couldn’t wait to get out of? Perhaps a luxurious and expansive house that sat in the middle of many acres of lush and beautiful land? 

Whatever picture your memory paints for you, heaven will be better than you can possibly imagine. Why do I say that? Because “home” encompasses far more than walls, furniture, windows, and doors. Home is, ideally, a place of safety and security; a place of kindness, laughter, sharing life, and love. A haven of rest without threat of harm of any kind.

And of course, I realize that may not have been the environment in which you grew up – it wasn’t for me. But, if you’ve yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, He’s preparing a place for you that will be beyond anything your mind is capable of imagining. Think of the Garden of Eden before the fall, on steroids.

David Roper wrote: “It’s not that heaven is somewhat like home. It is home. Our earthly homes are mere signs or reflections—primitive symbols of warmth, love, togetherness, and familiarity. The ultimate reality is our Father’s house—where there is a father who never dies, who makes a home for the lonely, who treats us like family, where real love awaits us.”

Where I live now every house in the neighborhood has a security system that includes cameras, lights, and sirens that blare if someone breaks a window or forces open a locked door. Fear is rampant and it’s not uncommon for people to see hooded strangers scoping out their property in the middle of the night. Guns are no longer an “extravagant measure,” but more and more housewives and mothers are training how to use one.

Unfortunately, that’s life in America’s cities and suburbs today. And guess what? It’s not going to get any better, only worse! But thankfully, God has a better plan. Roper continues: “Everything goes wrong here; nothing will go wrong there. Nothing will be lost; nothing will be missing; nothing will fall apart or go down the drain. Heaven is God’s answer to Murphy’s Law.”

Though we have people we love and whose closeness we cherish, unfortunately, our loved ones move away or die. Death, by God’s grace, has been defeated, so in heaven there will no longer be death and the agony of separation.

David Jeremiah shared these powerful words in a recent Turning Point devotional: “The final two chapters of the Bible give us a vivid flyover of our heavenly home. In Revelation 21 and 22, we read about a new planet and a vast city. Those who know Christ as their Shepherd have a future beyond belief. Make sure you’re among that number. Be certain the Lord alone is your Shepherd!”

When you miss heaven, you miss HOME!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊