9-21-2016

Good Morning All!!

         Hebrews 11:16; “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.”

    Steven Spielberg is, arguably, one of the greatest movie directors of all time.  He has had many blockbuster hits like “Jaws”, “ Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, Schindler’s List” just to name a few but the one that always gets me is the movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”.   The warmth and humor of a young boy who only wants to fit in meeting up with, befriending and helping an abandoned alien life form who simply wants to go home.  I think that the way E.T. says the word “home” is the part of the movie that resonates with me.  It is said with a poignant longing.  It is said as a plea for just this one thing.  “I just want to go home.”

    It took me a couple of times listening to people who were coming up to their earthly death to understand the longing.  When you sit and visit with them, they all express a longing to go home.  Since this conversation often times takes place in the hospital or in a nursing home it is easy to think they mean the farm where they lived or the house they called home for so many years.  Yet a couple of times, we were sitting in their home and mentioned “going home.”  I said, “you are home.”  The answer was, “not yet.”

    I had a sem professor who thought every worship service should end with the hymn “I’m but a Stranger here, Heaven is my Home.”  He thought we should always keep that thought, that promise, close to the top of our memory.  That way, no matter what our circumstance, we know that soon, soon we will be home, our heavenly home.  The battles of today, whether it is our health or our age, our financial status, our employment status, the way things are going in this nation and world; there are many times when I feel like E.T.; I just want “home.”

    It is this knowledge, this confidence that we truly have a home that allows us to persevere.  It is the certainty of God’s eternal grace and mercy holding us up when the world tries to knock us down.  It is knowing that better times are coming.  It is knowing that someday we will be resting in the in the loving arms of our Savior while enjoying the wonders of a perfect creation.  We will have no pain, no sorrow, no tears, no disappointments, no struggles.  We will have perfect peace.  We know it is coming just not real sure when but we know heaven awaits us.  We know that when Christ returns, perfect, eternal bliss will be ours forever.  I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home.    

Father of all mercy, into your hands we commend our spirits.  We seek you and your mercy for it is our only way home.  We long for the eternal rest that you give us.  Yet until that time comes, give us strength that we may persevere all of the slings and arrows the devil will throw at us.  Keep us steadfast in your grace.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret