Home is Where the Heart Is

“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:3-5 (ESV)

Recalling our time with the International Mission Board is easy. But those times when we came back to the States for Furlough (today this time is referred to as Stateside Assignment) Patti and I always looked forward to going back Home. And family and friends here never really understood our thinking of Peru as ‘home’, but what they knew about ‘home’ they never understood about us. ‘Home really is where the heart is’ and our hearts were in Peru. We were never really at home in the United States during our time of service in Peru.

And now, we enjoy our family even though we often think of our Peruvian friends, we want to visit with you all. Our hearts are here with you. But there is yet a better place that we call home, too, and that place is Heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:23 (ESV) Paul’s desire to depart this earth and go home to Heaven is understandable, his heart belongs to Jesus and that is where he really wanted to be. But he also understood that his place at the time was to be with his earthly family, yet his heart belongs to Jesus.

Reality being as it is, our hearts…those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior belong to Him and our greatest desire is to be with Him…at Home in Heaven. And why is that so? Why was Paul’s desire ‘to depart’? Well, here are the reasons for his desire…

1. No more curse….no more sin
2. Jesus is there….worship of Him
3. We will be with family…our real family in Christ
4. No more night….perpetual daytime
5. Eternity….forever we will reign with Him

And his desire to remain was far more than his God-given love for family and friends, “But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…” Philippians 1:24 (ESV) This, too, will continue to be my concern for you all…your progress and joy in the faith of our Lord….