We continue to contemplate eternity in our daily devotionals, so today, we reflect on what it will be like to go to the home that Jesus has prepared for us—a home with Him.
1"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:1-3).
There’s something special about coming home. We all know what it feels like to return after being away, whether for vacation, work, or other reasons, to the place that feels familiar. There are sounds, smells, and visual cues that greet us as we step back into our daily surroundings. It’s a very comforting sensation, that feeling of being at home. We even describe certain relationships by saying we feel "at home" with someone. What we mean by that is that person helps us feel relaxed and free to be ourselves, just as we do when we’re at home. All over the world, people have been forced to leave their families, homes, countries, and everything they hold dear. Everyone deserves a place of rest, a place to call home. Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples that He would prepare a place for us—a home like no other. The houses we inhabit in this life, regardless of how humble or grand, will pale in comparison to what God has prepared for those who are His:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT).
The story of an elderly missionary couple, the Morrisons, tells of their return to America after dedicating their lives to missionary work in Africa. On the same ship was Teddy Roosevelt, the American president at the time, returning from an African safari. In New York, bands and parades welcomed Teddy as his transatlantic liner docked. Crowds and press gathered to catch a glimpse of Teddy finally coming home. The Morrisons felt sad as they left the port that day, having little money — just enough for a modest apartment. Henry felt down when he witnessed the grand welcome Teddy Roosevelt received. He told his wife that something seemed amiss, considering they had devoted 40 years of their lives to Christian missionary work, and no one came to the dock to greet them. His wise wife advised him to seek the Lord in prayer about it. Henry returned a little while later, beaming with a smile, having been reminded by the Lord, "You are not home yet, Henry."
If you ever grow weary of this life, remind yourself, "You're not home yet." Similarly, if you become complacent due to a relaxed lifestyle and invest all your resources and effort into enjoying the comforts of this life, consider this: this is not all there is. This world is not your eternal home; this life is just for a short while. If you have placed your trust in Christ, the time will come when the Lord calls for us, and we will pull up our tent pegs and collapse the tent, either at departure from the body (death) or when our Master and Lord returns for us according to His promise. Paul the Apostle wrote:
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).
Prayer: Father, thank you for the hope we have in Christ and for His coming so that we may have eternal life at home with You. Keith Thomas
Taken from the series Insights into Eternity. Click on study 3 or the link: The Resurrection Body. Here are our teaching videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@keiththomas7/videos
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