There is something therapeutic about "home" that encourages healing. Whether or not we are better, we always feel better at home. We're never more ourselves then when we are home. Even the neglected child and abused wife long for place to call "home," where there is safety, purpose and peace. Home is life, comfort and rest.
Perhaps God has built this analogical and theological sense into us. He has infused a theology of place into our DNA. As strangers and aliens on this earth (Heb 11.13; 1 Pt 2.11), we long for our heavenly home (2 Cor 5.1-4; Heb 11.13-16).
This longing for home is the yen for mortality-swallowing life (2 Cor 5.4). When we confess "it's good to be home" it is a confession of faith. We confess that Home (the Jerusalem above) is indeed Good because Jesus has prepared it for us (Jn 14.2) and is preparing us for it (Jn 14.16ff.).
We left home for good in Genesis 3 and God changed the locks. Since then we've been roaming this land trying to find our way back. So lost were we that God came looking for us and found us in the far country. In Christ, He has given us the way back home. So we are glad to be home from surgery. But we would much rather be home from sin.
O sweet and blessed country, the home of God's elect!
O sweet and blessed country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest;
Who art, with God the Father and Spirit, ever blest.
(Bernard of Cluny)
O sweet and blessed country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest;
Who art, with God the Father and Spirit, ever blest.
(Bernard of Cluny)
3 comments:
Dear Brother Barry,
I am thankful that Amy is doing well. Your example of opening your heart to us fellow travelers is so very good for me. I tend to be stand-offish toward my fellow believers. But your sharing (especially in HBF pt 4) has been very helpful to me.
Thank you also for pointing me to Dr. Van Neste. Since I followed your link to his blog, I have received great benefit from what he has posted.
May God bless you and Amy both with healing of every kind as you move on from here.
Love in Christ,
Jeff
Jeff,
Believe me, it's much easier to unload in the virtual world than in the real one! Thank you for your kind concern and faithful prayers. They are a means of God's grace to us.
Ray is definitely one of God's gift to the church of our time. I'm glad you are benefiting from him. It's easy to do.
Blessings, brother.
BJ(or I guess Barry is what you go by now...lol)
How are you? This is Matt Amos from back in Memphis, TN. I think about you and Amy every once and a while and decided to spend a few minutes to see if I could find you guys. Wasn't too hard...ha. Glad to see you are doing well. Your daughter is beautiful, and I hope Amy continues to recover and that this surgery is successful is getting rid of most if not all of her pain. Send me an email sometime and let me know how you guys are doing. My email is mamos0403@gmail.com. I've been married 4 yrs now to Sarah(formerly Holton). I think we all met in Jackson once when Bryan and Sarah played a coffee shop...Anyway, great to have found you and look forward to hearing from you guys in the future.
Matt
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