“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 NLT)
Where is your home? Where do you run for cover…for shelter…for comfort?
If you’ve viewed the beloved children’s classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz”, then you know that Dorothy and her puppy Toto take an incredible journey to a mystical land far away from home.
Bored with life on the farm, Dorothy dreams of a place “somewhere over the rainbow” where dreams really do come true. And thanks to a gusty Kansas tornado, her wish is granted. Be careful what you wish for. Airlifted off the farm, Dorothy is whisked away hoping to discover a place where “bluebirds fly and trouble melts like lemon drops.” Or do they?
Along the way Dorothy encounters the most amazing characters. Tin Man, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion become her pleasant companions on the trip through Oz.
However, the yellow brick road inevitably leads Dorothy down a path to both disappointment and self-discovery. She learns that the infamous Wizard can’t live up to his hype and Oz is certainly no promised land. By the end of the movie, Dorothy’s had her fill of witches, munchkins, and flying monkeys. The thrill is gone. And she longs to return to the simple life back home in Kansas.
With several clicks of her red sequin heels, Dorothy repeats the phrase “there’s no place like home”, and magically she’s transported home to the Kansas farm with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry! She’s discovered that home is where the heart is. If only real life were as simple as a child’s fairytale!
Yet, there are truths we can still glean even from fiction.
“There’s no place like home.” One of Hollywood’s most iconic lines. But what does that phrase mean to you and me as we navigate our way through a real world beset with challenges and setbacks, heartaches and disappointments? Do we seek an escape room… or a refuge? Do you know they are totally different places?
During the holidays, we often hear songs and see movies about going home for the Holidays. I often ask myself, “Why do people love watching holiday movies in the first place? What is it about holiday movies that make us feel so warm and sentimental? Why do we long to return home for the holidays?
For some of us, it’s the smell of Mom’s cooking and baked pies. It brings happy
memories of what once was. But for others, it brings the longing and fantasy of what never was or what should have been. The whole idea of going back home is a feeling of warmth, security, and safety- just like a nice cozy warm blanket on a cold night.
Ideally, this is what home should be. Yet, the reality is that we live in a sin-flawed world with broken people. A world where home is not always the secure haven or refuge it should be. Yet, within the heart of every man resides the vision of a home which is perfect in every way. A sacred place of refuge, safety and comfort.
Whether or not we perceive it, deep inside our hearts is the desperate longing to return home. What do I mean by that?
There’s a longing in our hearts to recapture man’s original home, Eden. It’s not a palace or any other man-made structure. No, Eden was man’s original home where he was intended to live, to be fruitful, and to thrive. From the days of antiquity until now, something beats within the heart of man to recover what was lost… to recapture beauty and perfection… to return home to Eden.
When things don’t go as expected. When things go sideways in your life. When your plans and dreams appear to die, then it’s vital for you know your “address”. You are not an orphan. You are not homeless. You have a seat at the King’s table and a place to belong in His heart.
In John 14:18 and 27, Jesus left us a gift before He went to the Cross.
“I will not leave you comfortless as orphans: I will come to you.”
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid.”
The gift Jesus left for you and for me is Himself!
Beloved, grasp this truth…
Peace is not the “absence” of problems, but rather the “presence” of God in those troubled areas of your life. Too often we wait for things to clear up, or for things to stop, so we can finally feel better and find peace. But Jesus is teaching me that peace is not the absence of something. Rather peace is the presence of Someone. Peace is seeing Jesus in the midst of my storm.
Ultimately, it’s the awareness of Jesus’ unfailing presence that brings me true and lasting peace during the storms of life.
In Isaiah 30:15 (NLT) we hear God’s heart calling His people back home.
“This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “Only in returning to Me (to bring back home again) and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and in confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.”
Where is the “home” to which God refers?
Beloved, He’s calling you and me back into His “presence”. For it’s only in His presence that we will find true rest, comfort and peace. Peace is not a place; it is the Person of Jesus.
Psalm 16:11 – You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Dear friend, do you know your address?
Where does your heart, your soul, and your mind live?
Often, we’re more preoccupied with our street address, our career address, our financial address, and every other pursuit, than we are with our spiritual zip code.
Beloved, where do you live? Home is where the heart is.
Unlike Dorothy, you don’t need a rainbow to leave the clouds far behind you. You needn’t wish upon a star for your dreams to come true. His presence is your forever home. His peace is your hiding place.
Join us, as together we’ll dig deeper and explore this important topic…coming soon in part 2 of the “Returning Home” series.