Longing for Home

Today I long for home.  More than most days.  More than I have in a long time.

I don't mean where I live.  I'm actually there right now writing these words in our den.  Today I long for heaven.  My heart is grieved by the state of our Nation, and where it's going.  Sad stories filled the news today.  It was heart breaking in more ways than I can say.  This Nation has lost its way.  It celebrates what God calls evil.  People turn on each other.  A national sports figure accused of murder.

Sad.

Then I think about my own shortcomings.  How often I miss the mark and have to rely on God's grace I feel like I'm drawing on a bank account so much the owner is tired of me.  I know its not true, but sometimes the ache of sin is just there.  Lingering.  I long to be righteous myself.  I'm sick of letting my Savior down.  I want to be better than this.

I pray.

So when I sat down to read the scriptures from 2 Peter 3.  I found a line that bears witness with the depths of my heart:

2 Peter 3:11–13 (ESV) Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

That last verse got me.  Big time.  We are waiting for that place... where RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS.  Oh yes.  Come Lord Jesus!  Bring us away from this sinful insanity!  Cleanse us completely and make us righteous and holy.  How I long for your presence!  How I feel the thorn of corruption in my side.  I look to your holy temple and say draw me in, cleanse my soul.  Wash me.  I need to come home.

As I write this my wife just handed me a wish list for my son's 9th birthday.  He tops it off with things like "minecraft legos" and a "bmx bike".  I had to laugh.  Its nice to be 9.  

But getting older and knowing Christ is a bitter sweet adventure.  Sweet in that everyday He's there, He's blessed me so much with my family and ministry.  Bitter because as I get older, I want so much less of this world and so much more of the Lord, yet I know that here I can only know in part.

So this is at the top of my wish list: God.  The best part of heaven is not going to be a mansion.  It's not going to be seeing family gone before me.  It won't be living forever.  It will be for me - the righteousness of God.  Where things are made as they were intended to be. Where we will enjoy life with God as originally planned.  Where jealousy, envy, bitterness and hurt have no part of reality.

PRAYER:
Father, Thank you.  Thank you for reminding me I'm not home.  Help me do my very best here for You.  Help me love people who hate me and disagree with me.  Help me feel and sense your presence around me.  I look forward to Jesus' return.  Come!  Amen!

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