SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1213

“Going Home”

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? – John 14:1-2

There is a special feeling about returning home after being away at college or following military deployment. It is a warm feeling walking up to the house we knew as ‘home’ and it is a feeling that we never forget. We know that Mom has prepared a room for us and prepared our favorite home-cooked meal.

Jesus has done this for us in anticipation of our returning home to be with Him.

For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling … so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. – 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

My Dad enlisted at the age of 18 to fight in WWII. I recall him telling me how homesick he was as the war dragged on and on with no end in sight. When will we go home to be with the Lord? Are we homesick in eager anticipation for His return?

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! – Revelation 22:20

What is ‘soon’? The word in the original Greek is ‘tachu’ meaning ‘without unnecessary delay’.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:14

In God’s great love for us, He does not wish for any to perish. The Gospel is reaching people in the farthest corners of our planet and the Holy Spirit is drawing sinners to Christ continually.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. – 2 Peter 3:8-9

If you were to do an internet search for ‘signs of the end times’ you will find numerous articles on the subject, each espousing to know how to interpret current world events. Although these articles make for interesting reading, they are no substitute for the Truth of the Word of God.

But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed; Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. – Matthew 24:36; 1 Corinthians 15:52; Matthew 25:13

When WWII ended, my Dad was ready to return home. When my orders came in to be discharged from the Navy, I was ready to return home. There was nothing holding me back. When the trumpet of the Lord sounds will you be ready?

Pay attention to the current world event ‘signs of the times’ as Jesus instructed us in Matthew 24:3-31 and remain ready to be going home.

Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. – Matthew 24:42