Home!

I have moved a lot! During the first half of my life I lived in 3 different countries and continents, in 6 different houses. For the second half of my life I have lived in just one country, but have had 13 houses already. With so much moving around I have a hard time finding a place to call home. My family lives in a country I have often visited, but never lived in, and my mother’s house has never been my house. As I pack my belongings to make yet another move, this time just across town closer to work, I’m starting to see that in spite of all the work and stress, going from place to place has actually been a blessing to me. You see, I have learned that nothing in this life is permanent. Because of what my husband does for a living, I know that we will be moving often, so nothing is truly permanent and I know I can't hold on to things of this life too tightly. I remember looking out my bedroom window of our house in the woods in Alaska, admiring the beautiful forest that surrounded us, the rolling hills in the distance, watching the birds fly, seeing the northern lights dancing in the sky, and feeling really sad because I knew that one day I would have to leave all that. That day has now come and gone, because nothing in this world lasts forever. Even those who have been blessed by living in the same house for many years, one day they or their house will be gone. It’s a sad reality of life. We are mortal and everything in this world is like a vapor that is here today, but gone tomorrow.

Through all these moves however, one place has been a constant in my life and this is how I know I am blessed. There’s a saying that home is where your heart is, so this place is definitely home as my heart is fully there. I haven’t lived there yet, but I have dreamed of the day when I’ll finally make it home. You see, my Creator had originally intended for me to live at home forever, but because of humankind choices, we have decided that we didn’t want to live forever. We chose instead a life of pain and suffering and mortality. Yes, I blame Adam and Eve originally for this, although I’m sure they probably suffered the most since they knew what a life of pure joy was like and had to live with the consequences of their choice. I don’t know what a life without sin is like, but oh how I long for that. That’s what I’ll have at home: a life without sin and suffering.

So where is my home? My home is the earth made new! Jesus, who loves us with a love we can’t explain, made a plan to bring us back home. One day He will take us to Heaven with Him and we will see Him recreating this earth, making it perfect again. Then He will bring us back to live here forever. In fact, He’s moving in with us! Isaiah 65 talks about the earth made new, and I have dreamed of that place for a long time. “The sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.” (vs. 19). I will get to design and build my own house! For a home decorating enthusiast like me this sounds absolutely great! I will also plant my own garden, eat from it, and enjoy the work of my hands. Children will grow perfectly happy without the chance of any misfortune. And I will live forever and ever because God will give me back immortality (I Corinthians 15:53).

The most wonderful thing about home is that God’s covenant, a covenant of love which He has been trying to establish since the beginning of time, will finally be fulfilled forever: He will be our God and we will be His people. Ownership! We will be His, and He will be ours. Ours! Nothing more will come between this relationship with our Savior. We will get to fully enjoy our Creator and His presence. I just can’t wait to get home!

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” Revelation 21:1-8