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Home?

If you know anything about me, then you know I am a planner.  I love lists, todoist, and thinking about travel - just so I can get guidebooks and plan trips - going is definitely a plus, but dreaming about it and planning are okay with me too.

And for the last 9 months of our lives, as we approached (and then crossed off) graduation - it seems we haven't been able to plan ANYTHING.  All we got was doors shut  slammed in our faces (or so it seems).  Overseas missions: NO. Working in a local Christian University: NO (or at least not yet). Working in a city near family: NO. Working in a denominational office: NO...that's just a few of the many.

At the Senior Banquet Friday night in the closing prayer, Dr. Ligon Duncan (I think...) made a reference to how this world is not our home and how some of us would not see each other again until we are all together worshiping before the throne.

And then it hit me - I'd been so stressed out about these last 9 months because I wanted to know where our home was going to be - where we would "land" and to use a very Christian cliche (that I'm no fan of) "do life together".  Don't get me wrong - God made us for community and I've had a wonderful time learning about that community at RTS - as messy and as good as it can be.  But no matter where we land - whether next door to family or on some far-flung corner of the world in a city I've not (yet) heard of: it's not home.  Things aren't right and they won't be until Jesus returns to make all things new.

So while we will "dig in" wherever we end up - whether it be Australia, Arizona or across town, I will try (imperfectly) to wait patiently for what God has for us.  But I know that this home is only temporary and I'm so glad my hope is in what's to come:
"3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'” (Revelation 21:3-4, ESV)
I've no idea what the rest of the prayer was about.  But I think that's probably okay.
 

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