going home

Mark 6, Hebrews 11

We brought Beau home to our humble apartment this afternoon about 2:00pm.  As reassuring as it is to be in the care of nurses and physicians, it's kind of pestering after a couple of days.  It is so nice to be home and peacefully celebrating and enjoying our son.  I read the Scriptures to Brandi and Beau this morning in the hospital, and as I sat down to log some thoughts from the day, I noticed a connection with both of the passages we read and our homecoming.

  ^{Mk. 6:1} Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. ² The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, "Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?" ³ Then they scoffed, "He's just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us." They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

 ⁴ Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family." ⁵ And because of their unbelief, he couldn't do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Isn't it ironic that the King of Glory returned to His hometown, and instead of celebrating Him and enjoying Him, they mocked Him and refused to believe in Him.  I've been sitting here on the couch holding my son and thinking about how beautiful he is.  How much more will I enjoy Christ and gaze at His beauty when we are finally Home with Him!

In fact, our hope in experiencing that homecoming should have profound practical implications on the way we live.  The fulfillment of all of God's promises will be complete on that day that we stand in the presence of our loving Father and our Brother and Savior Jesus Christ:

^{Heb. 11:13} All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. ¹⁴ Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. ¹⁵ If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. ¹⁶ But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Not that we shouldn't enjoy the temporary blessings that the Lord has given us, but we should leverage everything for the joy of that homecoming day with our Heavenly family.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness in blessing me with a son and the joy of bringing him home.  Lord, thank you for a wonderful wife who loves you and shows your love to me and my son.  Please help me live my life in constant expectation of Christ's return and the joy of being home with you in heaven.  Lord, please continue to grow my faith in you, and may my faith be evidence for others to see you and experience your mercy and grace.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.