HOME
Defined: (1) A house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household. (2) The place in which one’s domestic affections are centered.
“There’s no place like home.”
“Home is where the heart is.”
“Home for Christmas.”
“A home away from home.”
“A house is not a home.”
“Charity begins at home.”
“Hearth and home.”
“Home is where you hang your hat.”
“Home sweet home.”
“Keep the home fires burning.”
Home is a special place.
We all long to belong.
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us (Acts 17: 26-27).
We seek to belong in our allotted periods and the boundaries of our dwelling places. God put that into us that we might seek Him. He is the ultimate answer for our seeking to belong.
Children are born with that longing and it is developed in the home: either for good or for bad.
We long to belong.
That longing drives kids to join gangs, adults to join clubs, and Christians to join churches. Most of all, I think we all long to belong to a home where according to the second definition of home our domestic affections are centered.
In other words, where those we love are. Where we find acceptance, peace, warmth, safety, rest, forgiveness, redemption, restoration, and humor. In other words, where there is a Jesus atmosphere.
Some of us have had that and some of us have not. No home on this planet has all the above all the time. Our homes are imperfect, as we are. Dear Christian Sister, we should long for our homes to foreshadow the city and home our maker has prepared for us.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God (Hebrews 11: 8-10).
These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland (Hebrews 11:13-14).
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city (Hebrews 11:16).
I have lived in many different homes in my life time, too many to number! In the last thirty years, I have tried to create a Jesus atmosphere in each of them, but … I get restless.
Dear Sister, there should always be a restlessness in our souls. We dare not become too comfortable in this temporal world. Yes, I love my carpet and my patio and I love when my children come to visit and find rest there, but this is not my home. It is not yours.
Don’t get too comfortable. God doesn’t favor complacency. (Isaiah 32:9, 11).
Home is where we, through the Holy Spirit, create a Jesus atmosphere, which means as we snuggle into the sofa with a good cup of coffee and a fascinating book or a spine-tingling thriller on TV — inside we feel the stirring of restlessness. We know the Kingdom is here now in our hearts and is coming in its fullness and when it does the Jesus atmosphere we love will burst forth in such glory, power, and majesty, and in such wrath, justice, and mercy, and in such affection, compassion, and love that all our earthly trappings will fall absolutely away and we will be with Jesus. Forever and ever! Amen!
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Revelation 21:2-5).
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God (Revelation 21:10).
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:22-23).
So, like Abraham and Sarah, direct your longing toward the new heavens and new earth while spreading a Jesus atmosphere here.
“For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind (Isaiah 65:17).
For Jesus said,
“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
Jesus is preparing the perfect home for us.
If you don’t know Jesus, but long for a perfect home call on him. At the end of Revelation there is a beautiful invitation to belong.
The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. (Revelation 22:17).
Come to Jesus. Belong.
You are loved!
Bottomless Theology for Women 