"Home"
As Western culture spiritually and morally descends into darkness, many born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ feel the anguish of seeming like strangers in their own countries. The disturbance is to be expected, and is also proper because we know the destruction that results when the masses reject the Truth of God and ignore the Biblical mandate to "remove not the ancient landmark" (Proverbs 22:28).
"When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn" (Proverbs 29:2).
"Destruction and misery are in their ways" (Romans 3:16).
An advantage exists, however, in this cultural flight from reality. Believers are always "strangers and pilgrims" in this present world (Hebrews 11:13). Regardless of the condition of our native earthly land, the earth as it now stands is not and cannot be our truest home. You may recall the story of the couple returning home to America from the mission field in the early 20th century. They sailed on the same ship as President Theodore Roosevelt as he returned from a two week hunting expedition in Africa. Bands played and huge crowds gathered to welcome the President's arrival. The missionary couple returned home to no such greeting. "Sweetheart", the missionary said sadly to his wife, "the President comes home to a great celebration after a few weeks of recreation. We spent 30 years of labor for God's glory and the salvation of lost souls. But we return home to no one." The man's wife, without hesitation, looked into her husband's eyes. "But darling," she responded with a smile, "we're not home."
The condition of culture rightly grieves and disturbs us. But we must not let it distract, deceive, and discourage us. In the best of times and of nations, we are not home. In the worst, we are not home. Eternal beings united to the infinite God could never rest comfortably in a realm that "passeth away" (I John 2:17). Thus, as we see the fulfillment of His Word regarding a spiritually and morally dissolving world, we choose to rejoice in Truth even as we mourn the sad dissolution. We are not home. But one day we will journey there, not to receive accolades and fanfare for ourselves, but to joyfully bestow them on Another…
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever."
(Revelation 5:11-14)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body."
(Hebrews 13:3).
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