I returned to Indy from Evansville today and I couldn’t wait to get home. Notice that I didn’t say that I couldn’t wait to get to the new house – I couldn’t wait to get home. It’s been one week today since the movers packed us up and moved most of our possessions about a mile away from the old place into our new place. As I have already written, the move was worse than either Janet or I could possibly have predicted. It was -2F on both the packing day and the moving day. We have gone without sleep, been unpacking boxes for the last week and have been assisted by Susan and Pat, two good friends of ours who have worked non-stop to help us transition. We couldn’t have done the move without them.
So tonight when I got home, many boxes had been unpacked and the place was starting to look like we belonged here. Sure, the garage and upstairs are still piled high, but there is no reason to rush into working in areas that are cold or out of the mainstream. We’ll have plenty of time to get the place organized. What’s far more important is the mindset that I have about our new home. For reasons that I can’t explain, this place really feels like we have lived here for years – not one week. It has that kind of familiar feel that causes me to relax and think about the future here. It’s comfortable – it’s home, not just a house.
Since Janet and Lexie are also here, it really is a home to all of us – and come to think of it, that’s how our relationship with God should be. Comfortable, familiar, relaxed – a relationship where you can think about the future with Him and get excited at the prospects of what the future holds. One of the things that you learn in seminary is that our journey with Jesus Christ is not just about knowledge – it is about relationship. In fact, some students find that they spend so much time learning about God that they don’t focus on the relationship with God. And that’s a shame.
The simple truth is that a relationship with Jesus Christ should be the most important relationship in your life – like going to a place where you are always home. The verse for this evening is from Paul’s second epistle to his young friend Timothy. Paul was trying to explain the loyalty and eternal bond between Jesus and his followers. We are told, in 2 Timothy 2:11-12, “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him.” In other words, if we died to ourselves and asked Jesus to be Lord of our lives – He will live with us “at home” – and we receive the invitation to reign with Him in the future.
My encouragement this evening is that Christ wants you to ask Him into your life and your home as well. My prayer is that wherever you are, you will be “at home” with Him – for all eternity. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…