The Official Writing Challenge
BACK TO
CHALLENGE
MAIN
INSTRUCTIONS
how it works
submission rules
guidelines for
choosing a level
ENTRIES
submit your entry
read current entries
read past entries
challenge winners
Our Daily Devotional HERE
Place it on your site or
receive it daily by email.


TRUST JESUS TODAY

  • Share
  • how it works
  • Submit
Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Home (01/09/06)
We all know the feeling. Discontent. Restless. Incomplete. Sometimes it is caused by our own sins and failures that seem to plague us. Sometimes it is a result of circumstances and suffering that are out of our control. And sometimes it is just a vague sense of discouragement. We all know the feeling. Life can be disappointing, to say the least.
Now, on the one hand, I am not suggesting that we, as Christians, should relegate ourselves to a state of perpetual gloom and pessimism. Neither should we encourage the habit of negative thinking. Paul himself stated that he "learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (Phil. 4:11) and this is a state we should all strive for as we live daily. We have been given all that we need to live joyfully for the Lord.
On the other hand, it cannot be denied that this world is not always all that it is cracked up to be. Whether we are experiencing a time of relative ease or of extreme suffering, a time of victory over sin or of defeat, most can identify with an underlying sense of discontentedness or even an intense feeling of anguish. In fact, this very idea is brought up in 2 Corinthians. As long as we continue to live on earth, "we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling" (2 Cor. 5:4). There is, within all of us, a sincere and right desire, a deep yearning for something more. For believers, "as long as we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord" (2 Cor.5:6), but when our earthly bodies die, we will be fully present with the Lord.
Although we must not negate the fact that the Holy Spirit indwells believers and is ever-present within us, there is a distinct fullness in regard to our relationship with God that cannot be accomplished until after physical death. As a result, we have within us an innate restlessness which, rightfully applied, leads us to seek the face of God. Thanks be to God that our true home is not found in these jars of clay, these physical bodies or this present world! Thanks be to God that there is truly more to life than this! A profound and sustainging hope can be found in the truth of Heaven.
All this to say: take courage! Take heart! This world is not our home and is not meant to completely fulfill us. In fact, our very brokenness and incompleteness is itself meant to intensify our desire for the day when we will be fully in the presence of our Lord and Savior. Do not despair, but instead turn your face to Christ; he understands fully the pain of this life (Heb. 4:15) and is ultimately the One who has spanned the gap so that you and I may one day arrive at Home. So hold on. You will not be disappointed. Keep hoping for Home.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
This article has been read 754 times
Member Comments
Member
Date