Far From Home

^{At this time of year, it is easy to remember the tunes that sing "there's no place like home for the holidays" and feel ourselves so very far from home. Yet, in a way all of us are far from home in the ins and outs of everyday. Far too often, we are far from our Father who waits patiently for us to spend time in His word, in prayer, in community with Him. And no matter our location on the GPS or our illegal/legal status, we are all aliens, far from our home that God has made for us in heaven.}

^{Running from Home}

3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. ⁴ The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ ⁵ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. ⁶ And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. ⁷ You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. ⁸ But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” ~ Ezekiel 2:3-8

A quick analysis of the above verse from Ezekiel, and one recurring word and theme will jump out at the reader, so much in fact that we could argue that the verses are not so much about what God was going to say to Israel nor about Ezekiel being called ... but it's about the characteristic of the Isrealites who are... rebellious. In fact, we learn little else about them, except that they are termed 'scorpions' by the Lord and their words could be frightening, but it is their rebellion that has caused the Lord to be so angry. And yet, like Jonah to Nineveh, the Lord is merciful and sends a prophet with a message to give this rebellious people a second chance.

And isn't that lucky for us? It's so easy sometimes to read this passage and say, "Silly, Israelites! They ought to know better. Why are they rebelling like that?" It's so easy to think of 'them' as rebellious, forgetting that all too often, we are the rebellious ones in need of a second chance. The Lord waits for us every day, waits to have a quiet time with us... when we read His word, when we pray to Him. And every time we choose something else, even work, ahead of our Lord, we are rebelling against His commands to "love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength." We are rebelling against our Father; we are running from our "home". But, just as he offered a second chance to those rebellious Israelites, He offers a second chance to us, inviting us 'home.'

Running towards Home

¹³ ...[All these people] did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. ¹⁴People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. ~Hebrews 11:13-16

This chapter in Hebrews offers a beautiful long list of individuals in the Bible who acted upon faith, like Noah who made the ark and Abraham who followed where the Lord led him. And then, the author of Hebrews goes on to explain that these individuals did not get all the promises. Abraham did not live to see the fulfillment of all the promises made him. But... they were "foreigners and strangers." Sometimes we forget that many people in the Bible were sent to new places. They were "aliens" who were far from home. Yet, the author is playing with a double meaning here. It is not just the political status he is concerned with. Instead, note that they were 'foreigners', because they are seeking their own country which is a 'heavenly one', prepared by God.

If we really are living out the radical love that is evidenced in the Bible, we will be 'strangers' even in our own physical backyard. God gave us an example, by loving rebellious kids like us! Now, we need to love those who do and don't deserve it.... 'love them as ourselves', because when we love others, we have 'done so to our heavenly Father as well' ... our Father who has prepared a place for us in heaven. And that is our true home. Remember when Jesus in the temple said, "These are my mother and brothers" about those to whom he was talking? He showed us that "family" and "home" mean very different things from a Christian perspective. Our Christian brothers and sisters are our family, and our home is in heaven.

When we pray, we read the Word, and we worship, we are a little closer to home.