Where is Home? On my long walk today, I tried to figure this one out. My first thoughts were, well, my house just a ways behind me. Wrong. For some people, that would be correct. But there's something special about me. Can you guess what it is?
Would you believe me if I told you that I am not from this world? That the reason I cannot indulge in the sinful pleasures of the people here is because I don't belong with them? That I'm actually just visiting? That my home is somewhere else- and that I can bring you with me, if you want.
Chances are that you'll believe me, and that you know what I'm talking about. But I have a suspicion that us Believers aren't taking seriously the fact that this is not our home.
Think about it. To what extent do you go to keep your house in beautiful condition, decorated and designed to impress your guests? How often do you find yourself frustrated with the state of your closet, and long to go on an all-out shopping spree to satisfy your weathered look? How much do you fret over finances? How much of your time is spent feeling sorry for yourself when feeling excluded by friends, or running through a rough time at your job? How much of your time is spent praising yourself over your popularity or promotion?
Okay, time to take it back to reality, guys. All these things are fading fast, and you know it. It says so in that book that you claim to base your life on! You say you believe in God, which means you obviously believe in heaven, right? So what's with all the fuss over the ugly colour of the walls in your house? It's not like you actually live there, so why worry?
Okay, I know I may be stretching things a bit... it's okay to make your house comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, I believe. I love keeping my room as organised and tidy as possible- it just helps me cope better. But my point is, it's not the end of the world if you're not satisfied with your residence.
To put it in perspective: say you go on vacation for a week. The hotel you're staying in has the ugliest bedspreads you've ever seen. All the rooms have the same pattern. Do you fret? Do you bite your nails in aggravation? Do you pace the carpet till it's worn thin? Of course not! You know you're not staying there, and you know that you can live with it. It's still usable, and that's all that matters. You remember you have beautiful bedspreads on your own bed in your own house, so no worries!
Why don't we think that way in life? I think it really would make a difference if we did, by the way. I sometimes find myself feeling jealous when I see my friend got a bunch of nice new clothes, and I look down at my old garments that are beginning to look slightly haggard. I go to the store and my eyes gleam when I see every enhancing product and cute little doohickey. If I leave a shopping mall without buying more than two items, I feel grumpy and let down.
There are sooooooo many things that man has made to make us comfortable here on earth. They're not done yet! Pretty soon people will be out buying the iPhone 10,000! From home furnishings to spring fashions to labour-saving devices to just plain old toys, people have the mindset that they belong on earth. And after they die, they're gone- zippo. So with this way of thinking, it makes sense to just shop all day, party all night, eat, drink, and be merry! "Life's too short to be anything but happy," is what they say. Wrong, again. Life's too short to waste time seeking happiness from what the world has to offer. Because if you are seeking happiness in the things of this world, you're wasting your life. It's hopeless. Happiness only comes from one thing- and that's a relationship with God.
So I got to thinking, if everything on earth will fade away, then really, this is all pointless!
Matthew 24:35 ~ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
If you really want a good lecture on how meaningless it all is, Ecclesiastes is the book for you. I would write it all out if that were practical.
So then, once I established that our attempts at fame and fortune were futile and pointless, I asked myself, "Then, why are we here? What's the point, if everything is meaningless?"
Aha! This is the defining factor: where lies your treasure? We've talked about how our treasures on earth will fade away, therefore pursuing material pleasure is pointless. But there is another kind of treasure, just you wait and see! You have a treasure chest up in heaven waiting for you. So begin storing up your treasures in heaven while you're on earth!
Matthew 6:19-21 ~ Do not store up for yourself treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Makes sense. I sure would like to say that my heart is set on heaven. And that passage above lays out how we can keep our hearts there. If I don't belong on this earth, then it only makes sense that my heart shouldn't be attached to the things of this world, either.
So maybe we should stop worrying so much about how many people 'liked' our picture on Facebook. Maybe we shouldn't be so troubled over our clothes. You say you trust God? You say you fully rely on God? Or do you just flippantly say that because you have everything you need- therefore there is no need for any of God's input? Maybe you've worked so hard to furnish a beautiful house and have exquisite dinners every night, so it's all good. Maybe.... maybe it's time to rely on God for what you need, and not just the things you think you need.
You may know the passage already, but please look up Matthew 6:25-34. It defines exactly what I've been trying to get at.
Okay. So, now we know that material goods are useless, God will provide, and we are on our way home. But what do we do in the meantime? Back to my earlier question: What's the point? Well, I'm sure you're not blind to the fact that there are a whole lot of people around us that aren't on their way home, they're already here. They are of the world. In other words, they're not saved.
What is salvation? It's a gift from God. What does that mean? He gave it to us freely, even though we didn't deserve it in the LEAST. Let's say you were sentenced to be executed for a crime. Right before they injected you, or hanged you, or fired, the procedure was stopped. You were stood up, and released. When you asked why, the answer was "It's a gift from me to you. And on top of your freedom, I'm giving you a mansion just over on yonder hill- you can live there forever and you'll never ever die. Bring whoever you want with you."
I don't know about you, but anyone who went all by themselves after that encounter would be a downright selfish monster! I didn't deserve this gift of salvation, but I have it. And I am no better or worse than anybody else here on earth. So why should I be saved and they have eternal torture? That's what I deserve, and it's what they deserve. But I received a gift- doesn't it seem right that I should want to share with my fellow sinners? It's open to all! THAT, my friends, is the point. To spread the good news to all creation. To give a cup of cold water to the least of these in Jesus' name. To store up our treasures in heaven.
And when my time is up, my utmost desire is to hear my God tell me, "Well done, Good and Faithful Servant." I don't want to live my life in vain, when I've been given so much. So I'm not going to get comfortable where I am. I won't be stagnant. I want to be part of the Great Commission.
So the truth is, I'm not from here. I'm a stranger. I'm just passing through on my way to my home. It's true, I've never been home. But I know that it's where I'm going. I know that my family is waiting for me. And once I get there, I ain't ever coming back.
