Going Home

Home is a powerful word which brings vivid images to mind. For those going home, such thoughts are encouraging. For those having to leave home, those same thoughts are devastating. When elderly people have to leave their home of many years, the pain can be unbearable.

In our weekend services we’ll be studying the book of Daniel. The stories in this particular section of the Bible are captivating: the three men in the fiery furnace, Daniel himself being thrown into a lions’ den and various others. But think back to the day Daniel left Jerusalem for the long journey to Babylon. He was maybe 16 years old. As a prisoner of war, he would become an exile living in a strange, far away place. As Daniel looked back at the leveled city of Jerusalem, what were his emotions when his eyes fell on the place he had called home? Did he ask, “Will I ever return?” Whether he sensed it at the time or not, the answer would be “no”.

Jesus Christ talked about home in a very different way than we’re accustomed to. He said that for his followers, home is where he is. He was talking about heaven. The season of Advent is a four week time of preparing for Christmas during which Christians meditate on not only the coming of Christ 2000 years ago, but also his promised return on Judgment Day. In his own words, that is the day he is going to take us home.

Daniel lived the majority of his life as an exile in a strange land. It wasn’t his choice of places to live, but he trusted in God’s bigger plan for his life because he knew where his real home was. Have you looked at your present life that way – as a stranger temporarily living in a place you will leave behind for your real home, where Jesus is? If that thought made you stop and pause for a moment, you might want to join us for one of our worship services. Your image of home could change dramatically!

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am