Reflections

 

"Remember, I don't even own a place to lay my head.  Foxes have dens to live in and birds have nests, but I, the Messiah have no earthly home at all."  LB  Luke 9:58


  Currently, I am in a transition of sorts where I do not have a home of my own.  I am living with my daughter and her family right now.  In light of my situation, I thought of Jesus when He was sent by His Father to live upon the earth.  From what Scripture reveals, He probably had an earthly home with his parents Joseph and Mary as he grew up but when he began His ministry, he traveled from place to place with His disciples and as far as we can tell, had no house or dwelling He owned.



(c) Photo by Carole S. Amateis 2013

 That fact has been a comfort to me especially in a society that stresses home ownership and material possessions so much.  If Jesus, the Son of God, did not have a home, who am I to utter a word of complaint or forbid, any self pity come to mind.

I have plenty of space in the cozy loft area of my daughter's home and a place to write. . . . . pictured here:-)    I am so thankful she and her husband and my granddaughter have opened up their dwelling place to me for awhile.  They are a good example of the love of family and I am eternally grateful. (I think more families should do this for each other -  as we once did years ago in our country and some still do in other cultures.)

As I reflect upon Christ's life on earth, there were those who opened their homes to Jesus and His followers throughout His ministry.  Think how awesome that must have been.  To have the very Son of God sit down for a meal with you or spend the night in your home?

 Other times, His home may have been to lay underneath the very stars His Father created.  In those days, that was quite common.  Abit ironic, many today get away from their indoor atmospheres to go camping:-)  Jesus knew it was an awesome experience!

The Scripture I noted could also be a response from Jesus to indicate the earth was really not His home - His real home was in heaven.  He was just down here visiting for awhile - about His Father's business. 

He had a pretty big mission to fulfill His Father's plan.  He traveled about doing miracles, healing the sick, teaching others about God and making the ultimate sacrifice. . . . suffering and dying on a cross.  That loving act saved us from our sins, proclaimed us acceptable and holy for heaven.  An awesome gift beyond measure; eternal life.  That place where Jesus resides. . . . heaven. . . . is our real home as well. (It's cool we can still have Him present with us on earth though, through the Holy Spirit:-)

     Sometimes it is hard to grasp this truth - that we, as human beings, in perishable bodies, are just passing through life on this earth - a journey that will not last forever.  Our true homes are really in heaven, just like that of our Savior.

It is only natural that we human beings get busy with what is going on in our lives and the world around us. I am a firm believer that He put each of us on this earth for a reason and to experience abundant life, although not without struggles and trials.  But, sometimes, it literally takes the death of a loved one to wake us up to the reality that our time on this earth is fleeting and brief in comparison to eternity.

Plus,we tend to feel more comfortable with the familiar -our life here on earth.  We only have glimpses of what is to come. Books about near death experiences where people have actually been to heaven are popular as we seek to see into the future.
 
I think God had a reason for not telling us all about heaven. . . . and that really is where our trust and faith in the words of Jesus come into clear focus. . . ."I go to prepare a place for you".  That is what He said.  We must have faith.

    So I ,continue on life's path - all of which is part of God's plan for my life. - my present circumstance is no surprise to Him!  For now, I do not have a home I own, or even a place I rent.  If it is God's will, perhaps soon, I will have one or the other. I admit, it would be nice to have a private place and I am sure my daughter will be glad to have her loft back!
 
Still, as I grow older, I am learning to be content with less material possessions all the time.  I do not need a big house, lots of space or material possessions.  The only reason I would desire more space is so my children and grandchildren or family and friends could come stay with me and we'd all be together in one place:-)   If God grants me this blessing, I will certainly rejoice.  But if not, that's okay too.

  In the final analysis, the world kind of, well, seriously, has it backwards.  What we own, our material possessions or what kind of house we live in - whether a tent, mansion or in between. . . . . is not what is the most important.  It was not to Jesus.
 
   What was important  to Him was doing the will of His Father. . . . . . as we celebrate Easter this Sunday, let us remember His Words, "It is finished."  And rejoice that He did return to His real home - an eternal home that we can only begin to imagine and will be ours too if we confess our sins and believe in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior!                                                                                                  (c) Carole S. Amateis 2013

Easter Blessings to you and yours:-)