I've been thinking a lot about my home lately. Home should be a place of safety, comfort, rest, and acceptance. Sadly, many homes do not reflect these endearing qualities. Home life can be messy, painful, lonely and loud. Sometimes people don't get along at home, and there is no rest in our homes. Even if we were to stay in the solitude of our bedroom, we know what exists outside our four walls isn't always pleasant. Home life is extra difficult when addictions and abuse are present; these vices affect not only the user, but everyone in the home, probably more than we know.
Where can we go that we can call a place our true home? A place that never changes, nor loses its endearing qualities; a place where we can always belong . . . is there such a place?
Jesus told His followers while He was on earth that His Father's house had many rooms and that He was going to prepare a place for them (John 14:2–3). This home would be totally unlike the homes that they were from or the home that you know right now. This home would be eternal, where as our earthly homes are very temporary. This home could not be corrupted by any person or thing, where as our earthly homes are full of corruption and dysfunction. This home has no hunger, disease, death or pain, where as our earthly home has been devastatingly affected by each of these sad afflictions.
For those who know Jesus as their Savior, they can truly say that this earth is not their home, they know that they are passing through; moving onward and upward to a place of perfection and acceptance. When Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you . . . " He was also speaking of a place personally suited for each believer. "You" is a very personal word!" Heaven is truly something to look forward to, a place that the believer's heart longs for. Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
I wonder if you are satisfied with your home as you know it now? Do you yearn for another home? A home in which no promise is broken, where every inhabitant dwells in peace forever more? Nobody lives for very long on this earth. Our bodies go into the ground and the real you moves on to your final eternal home. God has declared it in His Word. Wouldn't it be wise to make preparations for your "long home" since it is has been mentioned above that our earthly homes cannot last and peace cannot be kept within their four walls?
God's Word says that the Lord Jesus Christ is the way to His Heaven, He is the only way (John 14:6). We cannot enter His perfect, peaceful forever home with our luggage of sin that we carry within us. We need to be made fit for His presence and this need to happen before we enter death's door. Before you can move into Heaven, Jesus needs to move into your heart and life (John 3:3).
You need to put your faith in Him as Savior and receive His wonderful salvation through His death at the cross for you. Without turning to Him to receive His forgiveness, Heaven's door is shut and our only option is to exist alone, in darkness and pain forever. The Bible says that this eternal home is full of wailing and gnashing of teeth for all of eternity. This tragic, eternal consequence would be much worse than any situation you may be experiencing in your earthly home now.
Have you invited Him to cleanse you, and make you ready for a much better and everlasting home than anything this earth can afford? He wants to give you the keys now so that you can be ready to move in at any moment. Jesus says, "He that hears my word and believes on Him who sent me has everlasting life" (John 5:24, emphasis added). This means Heaven can be yours right now! Do you believe Him?
Becky Kew shares good news at Sandy Bay First Nation, Manitoba, Canada. BeckyKew@ outlook.com.
