Home

Jesus is our home, the place where we can rest our head.  He is our refuge, the place where we can find peace.  He is the creator of all, and we need look nowhere else for our home.  Orphans and widows, the downtrodden and neglected, those uncomfortable with themselves or their bodies, all the sorrowful, we need to come home.  He doesn't criticize us for our troubles, doesn't look down on us for all of the places we've been, only desires us to come home.

Jesus went before us and defeated death, took our burdens for us, hung that he we might be free.  This ultimately journey, God becoming man, living the perfect life, being crucified, and then risen back to life, was done for you, was done for me.  It means that Jesus is our home, with all our imperfections, with all our hopes and dreams, with all our bitterness, with all the places we look for security besides in Him.  He underwent his journey before we asked him to, before we sought a home.  He prepared a home for us in advance of anything we did, good or bad.  He is alive!  He holds all our hope!  He knows us!  The home has been prepared, I need only seek it, I need only say yes to it.

When we find our home, it gives us courage to leave other worries behind.  The worries that I can't control seem to have less grip on me.  When we come into our home, we are changed.  Character is built in us.  Suffering seems less meaningless and can even be seen as a teacher.  Home gives us the courage to go back out into the world and fight the good fight.  Home is both something prepared for us and for which we must give all.

There is room at home for all of us.  We are brothers, we are sisters.  We have one Father, the one who sees us, loves us compassionately and radiates his love and power throughout the universe for all of eternity.  He doesn't fear the differences in us, and invites us to take His perspective on this too.  Our bitterness may not end overnight, but committing ourselves to his grace, his refinement can help chip away at it, until we see a little more like He does.

At home, all of my scars and bruises can be healed.  The places I've been, the areas where I'm ashamed, can all find relief at home.  At home, we are all celebrated.