Homeward Bound

Every human being has felt the sense of homelessness in a life time. As a small child, homelessness might be felt during those first few long days of kindergarten. The child’s whole world has changed. Mom is no longer around to carry out their every beck and call and the accustomed environment of home steeped in a mother’s love is replaced by a teacher they barely know and classmates who are strangers. The ages of junior high school, high school, and especially college all evoke this sense of homelessness. Life after all is ever changing where old ways become obsolete to new beginnings…first job…first apartment…marriage…children…retirement…death of a spouse are all instances where we may feel a sense of exile deep within our hearts until what is unfamiliar becomes the familiar once again.


But even when we are accustomed to our new environment, why do we still long for home? What is this desire within us to return to remembrances of yester years within the grey matter of our minds? Is God calling us to our true self through these images whether good or bad? And what may I ask is our “true self”?

As Christians, we also face daily homelessness. We know our true citizenship is in heaven and not on this Earth. We know that where our treasure is there are heart will be also. So we try to stay focused on what the important things are and keep our priorities in the proper order. But all too often we become distracted and tossed from the narrow path. Our eyes wander and see things we want instead of being content with what we have already. We forget the basic principle that less equals more. Our desires become world focused and not Christ centered!

Life is all about a relationship with Jesus. A relationship with Immanuel creates a deep love within for Him, for us, and for others. This love abounds so much that it spills into interactions with others. Interaction with others leads to fellowship. And fellowship leads to hospitality…which leads to loyalty…which leads to accountability. People need one another. God did not create us to live a solo life void of relations with others…especially not void of Him! Finding our “true self” has everything to do with finding God and having a relationship with his son Jesus Christ.

Though our hearts are homeless while we walk this Earth in human flesh our soul should always seek the shelter of home. Home is wherever we find Jesus. He is everywhere! We just need to consciously seek to encounter His presence to know his will for our lives. I hope for myself and all of you that this year...this new beginning... your “doing” might be remedied into just “being”, and that you might learn how to “do” and “be” at the same time, and have moments of perfect harmony that bring you one step closer to home!