Saturday Night Blog, March 16, 2013

What an amazing GOD we serve! As I prepare for bed, for sleep, for morning and for our worship time, my prayer, LORD, is to see YOU and your people as YOU see us. In last night's blog, I put a picture of my family that I hadn't seen before. It was troubling but in a good way because it reminded me of my lovely and good family. I saw YOU, LORD, in the faces of my family, my precious and wonderful family. I have prayed for each of my family so many times through the years, and even today, feel a bond with my mom, my brother, and my sisters that I have a hard time explaining. I know that part of our bond is the pain of separation by time, separation in different states, and the separation we all have felt since my dad died. When dad died, part of my childhood innocence died as well. I miss the way that he made me feel safe and loved. I miss home. 

Home used to be a house, at least for me. If I close my eyes, I can see our old farm house, in New Palestine Indiana. This picture isn't great quality, but it shows the 14 room farm house I called home for over half of my childhood. Dad worked miracles on the house. We planted the Blue Spruce trees in front. They started out less than a foot tall, and now tower over the house, blocking the house from sight.  "HOME" is so much a part of why I personally think of death, of heaven, of seeing those who love Jesus, and being together with them forever… yes, that is what HOME means to me. 

When dad died, my friend read from 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10 -- " For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

What an amazing passage, what an amazing GOD we serve. Home has been a house, or a church building, or a person. Whether it is my love for my wife and children, or my desire to see Jesus, soon, we all will be with HIM. Real hope, real life and real love all work together to produce in me an image, and idea, and an ideal: "Real HOME." Worshipping GOD and serving HIM together with others of kindred spirit, that is HOME.  Remember this, dear friends. As we finish the half way point of the month, and as we prepare for Easter sunday, I can tell you that I can't wait for heaven, for the reunion that it will be. I miss HOME.                      marv