Homeward bound

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;  it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord , the majesty of our God.  Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees.  Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped;  then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;  the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes.  And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.  No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.  And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-10 ESV

Pastor Paul Park

Illusiveness of a worldly home

Where are you from? We can answer from many different angles. Cultural background, where we were raised, where we were born, where we live now... Does this change when we get married? Does it change when we've lived in a certain place for awhile?

A home is where we find rest. Verse 7 describes a mirage. A place of water in a desert. But the closer we get to a mirage, the more we find that it is an illusion. Our lives are a long journey are searching for a place of rest and belonging. We go from place to place seeking a home. The prophets were tasked with bringing people from illusions to our real home. The people were content with mirages and the illusion of home. We all do this. When we are anxious or troubled, we turn to the distraction of entertainment, the comfort of financial security, the comfort of relational security, etc. All the things of this world are insufficient to give us a real sense of belonging or security. They are all fleeting and will ultimately disappoint.

Concreteness of our Spiritual home

Where then is our biblical and real home? It is not a place, but rather a person. It is our God. He is our sanctuary. The springs of living water are alluding to the Holy Spirit. God wishes to make His home in us. What then does it mean to be home in this sense? God becomes to us the most important person in our lives. He is the most loved in our mind and in our hearts. As it says in the first commandment... This is how you find home. You will yearn to see His face. You were desire to spend time with Him.

We are unclean. So we must get new hearts. We must be redeemed and cleaned. This was purchased through the cross by Jesus. We are promised a new home because of the blood of Christ. A place to belong and of ultimate security.

The ramifications?

Our future is with God. We are to love God and that means that we will have a growing desire of holiness. Why? Because God is holy. We will grow in repentance for sin, in turning towards God away from things of this world. We can be generous because God has given us everything for eternity.

We are to grow in our yearning to see God's face. To wish to be with God, is the proper reaction to God's sacrifice upon the cross. It is not a simple ritual of prayer and Bible study. But a genuine desire within our hearts for God and the place He has prepared for us.