Finding Homeಮಾದರಿ

Abraham lived with the assurance that one day he will live in a home prepared and built by God. This hope fueled his passion for God and kept him focused on His plans.

Throughout his life, Abraham didn’t just move once, but again and again at God’s command, pitching tents along the way. He lived as a stranger on earth, holding loosely to his earthly homes and belongings while fixing his eyes on his future home. Abraham was conscious of the transient nature of his life and the permanence of his friendship with God. His strong grasp on his identity as an immigrant informed his concept of home. He made a home on earth with God’s presence and promises even as he looked forward to living with God forever in a heavenly country.

Like Abraham, we too can adopt a fresh perspective on who we are and where our home is. This earth is not our home because we do not belong here. Our time here is a brief journey. We are not only sojourners but also foreigners in this world. But we can make our home on earth with God even as we await a home He has prepared for us so we can live with Him forever.

Looking forward to heaven as our eternal dwelling place with God means living daily with the realization that the earth is not our home. When we embrace our identity as foreigners on earth and citizens of heaven, our craving for our heavenly home intensifies because we love God and want to be with Him. This desire to be united with our Lord also increases when we go through trials or when we become dissatisfied with secular culture.

Our longing for heaven is a longing for Eden, put in our hearts by God. And the Holy Spirit living in us assures us of our future inheritance. He motivates us to love God with our whole selves and encourages us to fix our sights on heaven. Our longing for heaven also keeps us from getting entangled in worldly affairs and pursuits.

How privileged and blessed we are! Our home with God extends beyond our life on earth, towards eternity. It does not conform to the boundaries of time and space. When Christ returns, our resurrected bodies will be united forever with God. There in heaven, we will be finally settled, forever at home in the presence of our Savior and Lord.

Embracing our identity as foreigners on earth intensifies our longing for our true home in heaven.

Reflect: Are you homesick for heaven? How often do you think of heaven?