Home Sweet Home
The last couple of weeks have been busy for me: visiting people, long days, extra evening commitments and weekend events too. Sometimes life is like that!
Last Saturday I was involved in a conference for our network of churches, which was a great event but a full day out.
The next day, Sunday, we had two gatherings at church, one in the morning and the other in the evening. I was serving in the evening so did not attend the morning. I slept for over 12 hours between Saturday and Sunday. My body needed rest!
The consistent factor in this busy spell was that I had a place to come back to, a house, our home. I was very grateful to return to it, to rest, sleep, eat and just ‘be’.
In my Bible reading I saw something similar. I’m in the book of Joshua which is the account of what Israel did after the death of Moses. Under the leadership of Joshua, they entered the ‘Promised Land’ God had chosen for them.
In Chapter 10 we read of how they advanced by defeating some pagan kings and gained a lot of ground. After all this activity, the same sentence appears twice, once halfway through the chapter and the other at the end…
“Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.”
Whenever things are repeated in the Bible or there are recurring themes we need to take note. This may seem like a small insignificant sentence, but because it was there twice it got my attention.
It highlighted the importance of home. Joshua went out and conquered their enemies, but at the end of the day he returned to his home base, the camp at Gilgal. I suspect, like me last weekend, he rested, ate and slept!
I believe we all need a home, something which is far more than just a physical place…
Home is somewhere where we can be our true selves. A place where we are real, honest, vulnerable and open.
Home is a place where we feel safe and secure, where deep things are shared, without judgment. It’s a place to laugh and to cry, to offer comfort and to be comforted.
Home is somewhere to invite others into, extending hospitality, demonstrating care and love.
Ultimately, I believe that knowing God is the true home for everyone. There is room for you in God’s house. Have you come home?
God bless you :)
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader