Joan and I were only away 2 days and one night, but it was good to get back home last evening. It’s comforting to know where things are (or at least should be, likely the chance they’d been returned to their spot!)
They say ‘Home is where the heart is’, but really isn't it ‘where you put your heart, there you are at home’? Many of the crises we've witnessed in recent months bring the need for home into focus. The 100,000 destroyed homes in NC and TN, the wildfire destruction of California, and total reduction to rubble of entire cities in Gaza and portions of Ukraine… leaving thousands of families living in tents, a shed, basement or garage of family or friends.
In a tent during a snow storm, waiting hours in traffic for a permit to return to their home, or what is left of it, is beyond most of our understanding. Some of you have experienced a house fire, you know first hand what few of us can imagine. Just when the comfort of home would be most needed, it's all gone.
This week, the Tuesday devotion from "Our Daily Bread” lifted up Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:24-27 about the house built on sand or on the rock. It focused on the necessity of a firm foundation. For indeed in life, floods and fire will come to both the righteous and the wicked. Just as the blessings of sunshine or cooling breezes are sent to all.
The question arises then, how do we have the foundations for living that hold up in all circumstances? Jesus pointed his followers beyond Doing No Harm, and Doing Good in Every possible way available. He centered in on the core issue: Our Hearts' relationship with God. John Wesley stresses this point when instructing Methodists to keep on staying in love with God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In our Scripture reading, Jesus commends the church at Ephesus for their good deeds and faithful works, not a problem there at all! However, He called them to a re-examination of their current love life with God.
Even now, we may enjoy our Christian fellowship, worship, and service, yet we are cautioned to pay attention to our foundation for the home we have during our time on earth.
Beware brothers and sisters, there is a world of even good gifts that may possibly come between you and God: perhaps a career, bank account, friends, hobbies, family; your choice, but know the consequences.
Remember, Jesus said you cannot serve two masters, you'll love the one and hate the other. (Luke 16: 13)Where our hearts are given in love and devotion, there we'll be at home. A home on the solid rock! Keep in love with God, first priority. The rest will fall into it's or their proper place.
So, if you are no longer in love with God as you once had been, what can you do?
You need alone time with God and there confess that distance has cooled your devotion. Apologize and tell God your heart's desire to draw close again. Open your Bible and see it, expecting to hear from Him.
God misses you and wants quality time together. He wants to go on a date to do something together, just the two of you. Make a plan: a walk, time staring at a site...share some activity that you enjoy with your Loving Father God and go from there. Write down how it felt or tell a trusted friend about your new time with the Lord. Then watch for the next moment you can share with God.
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