Kinda Homesick
Celebrating Christmas far away from family can create some serious homesickness. Being on the east coast while my family is in the Midwest gives me incredible empathy for our missionaries serving on foreign fields. It's difficult to be separated, whether by a few miles or half a continent.
But lately I've been even more homesick for Heaven than Iowa. (Yes, there's a movie reference there.) The old song speaks of longing for a country you've never seen, but you're still desperate to be there. I've never met my God face to face, but part of me already knows the joy that exists in His presence. To have that intimate communion for all eternity is a precious gift that we get impatient for.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Am I ready to go? Oh yes! Am I ready to go today? The flesh says no, but the spirit says yes! Whenever my Lord calls me home, I'm ready to go be in His presence. Hearing the complete Gospel story told at Christmas makes the waiting difficult, but also makes the anticipation greater.
The more time we spend on earth serving God, the sweeter the joy of Heaven will be. For saved Christian women, there can be joy in both places, finding balance between being a handmaid of the Lord and seeing that place Jesus promised He went to prepare. Two kinds of joy - our hearts should be overflowing today!
But lately I've been even more homesick for Heaven than Iowa. (Yes, there's a movie reference there.) The old song speaks of longing for a country you've never seen, but you're still desperate to be there. I've never met my God face to face, but part of me already knows the joy that exists in His presence. To have that intimate communion for all eternity is a precious gift that we get impatient for.
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Am I ready to go? Oh yes! Am I ready to go today? The flesh says no, but the spirit says yes! Whenever my Lord calls me home, I'm ready to go be in His presence. Hearing the complete Gospel story told at Christmas makes the waiting difficult, but also makes the anticipation greater.
The more time we spend on earth serving God, the sweeter the joy of Heaven will be. For saved Christian women, there can be joy in both places, finding balance between being a handmaid of the Lord and seeing that place Jesus promised He went to prepare. Two kinds of joy - our hearts should be overflowing today!
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