HOME SICK FOR GLORY LAND

by Charles Robey
(Trussville AL)

EVER GET HOMESICK
(I have heard it said that each of us has a hole in the heart that only God can fill. That hole can never be filled completely until we are in our eternal home with the Lord. Author Unknown)
By Charles C. Robey

The Country Parson was once ask about going to heaven, in which he replied," I'm sore ready, but I jest don't want to go today. I gotta tend to the cows and gather the eggs"

What about you? As a Christian, have you ever gotten homesick for the attributes of Glory Land? Well, one need only to rub shoulders with the sinful influences of this old world, to drift into a vision of what our Father, the living God, has for the future.

I remember growing up, how it would feel after being away from home on vacation, to return to all my friends and my all important childhood activities. The closer the old car would get to home, the more anxious I was to be reunited with my friends, just to see what I may have been missing. I too was looking forward to Heaven.

But as a young lad, I sure had a lot of living to still do here on earth. And, I'm in good company. For many a Christian, down throughout the ages, have struggles with this very thought of being homesick for home.

The Apostle Peter was one of my favorite New Testament Preachers. He was a down-to earth individual, who just had a way about him of making his writing simple, and to the point. In other words, Peter would " Tell it like is". One perfect example was the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration, as told in Matthew 17:1-9.

Peter was certainly impressed. Showing his typical pattern of speech before thought, Peter blurted out, "Lord, this is wonderful! Let us make three tents; one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." For that day, Peter certainly became homesick for Glory Land.

Even the Apostle Paul was sometimes torn between his two lives, that being heaven and his earthly home, as he stated, "But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake" ( Philippians 1:23-24) However, Paul knew his mission on earth was not yet complete.

I can only imagine how Paul must have felt, after continuously going through the many trials and persecution, to have experienced Heaven first hand. In 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, Paul speaks of his personal experience when he was caught up into Heaven and given revelations he could not speak about

But, on the other hand, Paul knew that God was not quite ready for him to come home. Like Paul, when, by faith we put our eternal trust in the living God, we obligate ourselves to Christian service. And, until God calls us home, we should be found faithful, to God's will for our lives." and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another , and for all men, just as we also do for you".(1 Thessalonians 3:12)

As Christians, while we remain in our earthly bodies, we should consider what are hearts and minds are fixed on. If we are set on the right things, we will be content with the circumstances in which God has placed us, until such time as we are called home. " Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am" (Philippians 4:11).

Not only did God know our individual life situations before the foundation of the earth, but once we dedicated our lives to Him, He was also obligated, according to His word, to look after us until He calls us home. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You."(Isaiah 26:3)

One Senior saint of God once said, " Time is moving so fast, when I get where it's at, I'll be where it was". The closer one gets to Heaven, the more realistic Heaven seems to get. The Apostle Paul realized this eternal fact, by stating " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have keep the faith' (2 Timothy 4:7).

What about you? Are you still getting homesick? Can you finish this thought, as the Apostle Paul did, "in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge, will reward to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who love His appearing" (2 Timothy 4:8)

All of us have an appointed time to be born and to leave this old earth, ."There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under Heaven. A time to give birth, and a time to die;" ( Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)

It's what we do for Christ Jesus, in the mean time, that counts. Everything in our Christian life is based on what Christ Jesus has done for us and what He continues to do within us, as we are in Christ and He in us.

The Apostle Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knew us Christians would have spells, whereby we would get homesick for heaven. So, he penned these comforting words, " Now we know that if the earthly tent physical body we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. (2 Cor. 5:1-2)
And who puts that desire in our hearts? Paul answers," Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. ”. (2 Cor. 5:5)

God designed us to be homesick for heaven. We will never be completely at peace until we share eternal life with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. One of the best ways to cope with our heavenly homesickness is to integrate ourselves, as fully as possible, into our Christian life. So, next time you get homesick ,live life at its fullest here on earth and be ready to go home.

About the Author
Charles Robey is a retired Church Lay Leader who specializes in freelance Christian writings, with a strong evangelistic message. Mr. Robey’s many publications center around the Lord's Commissioning, as outlined in (Acts 1:8) and he feels strongly that in today’s hectic stressful environment, more than any other period of time, Gods peace continues to ring true and is freely available to all.