There's no place like home

Today: Jeremiah 49-50

"There's no place like home. There's no place like home. There's no place like home."

I've heard Judy Garland say these words a bazillion times in "The Wizard of Oz." At one point, it was my youngest sister's favorite movie. It was the point in her childhood when she wanted to read, watch and listen to her favorite books, movies and music over and over and over again. We used to immerse ourselves in the world of "The Wizard of Oz"--pretending to ride bikes along with the evil Miss Gulch and sing along with the Lollipop Guild. And we desperately wanted to float in a cotton-candy colored sparkly bubble like Glinda.

When you're a kid watching "The Wizard of Oz" for the first time or the 100th time, you don't fully grasp the significance of, "There's no place like home." When you're older, your definitions of "home" may change. Is home just a place? People you love? A feeling? A combination of all of those things?

In today's passage, God talked about home for His people. At this point in Scripture, His people rejected Him. As a consequence for their sin, they were taken into captivity--they were literally taken from home. However, in this excerpt, God prophesies the turnaround of Israel and Judah. I think His depiction of home describes more than land. Take a look:

In those days, at that time"—God's Decree—

"the people of Israel will come, And the people of Judah with them.

Walking and weeping, they'll seek me, their God.

They'll ask directions to Zion and set their faces toward Zion.

They'll come and hold tight to God,

bound in a covenant eternal they'll never forget.
"My people were lost sheep.

Their shepherds led them astray.

They abandoned them in the mountains where they wandered

aimless

through the hills.

They lost track of home,

couldn't remember where they came from.

Everyone who met them took advantage of them.

Their enemies had no qualms:'Fair game,' they said. 'They walked out on God.

They abandoned the True Pasture, the hope of their parents.'

Wow. God's people were in bad shape. They didn't just lose land, cows and houses--they lost who they were. They lost purpose and a sense of their spiritual legacy. They didn't just need Google maps to find home--they needed God's direction and hope.

I love that later in this passage, God foresees something good:

But Israel I'll bring home

to good pastures.

He'll graze on the hills of Carmel and Bashan,

On the slopes of Ephraim and Gilead.

He will eat to his heart's content.

In those days and at that time"—God's Decree—

"they'll look high and low for a sign of Israel's guilt—nothing;

Search nook and cranny for a trace of Judah's sin—nothing.

These people that I've saved will start out with a clean slate.

Isn't that amazing? God didn't just envision His peoples' return to their cities--He saw a restoration of their hearts. And if home is where the heart is, finding a clean heart and the love of God's heart? There's no place like home.

Tomorrow: Jeremiah 51-52

Home

Today: Deuteronomy 32-34

Home. It's such a nice word isn't it?

In my Facebook status today, I wrote, "After a draining day, it's nice to come home to a happy dog and leftovers from The Cheesecake Factory (baja chicken tacos--mmm)." :)

One of my friends then asked me about work and why it's stressful lately. Although work is admittedly a stressor (employed or not, most of America would agree with that point), my original post was more focused on the feeling of home. After I answered her question (as much as I can in a public forum!), my reply focused on that feeling. I wrote, "I absolutely LOVE the sigh of relief in my heart when I open the door to my home and feel like I can breathe again. A girl with good taste in shoes and sparkles said it well, 'There's no place like home...'"

I don't know about you, but I've had the feeling of home when I'm not actually at my house. I've had it when chatting with great friends who just "get" me (and hopefully vice versa)--you know, the people you can laugh and cry with (but mostly laugh like crazy). I've felt at home when I've walked on the campus of a university. I've even felt the feeling of home at work before. I've definitely felt at home during moments of worship at church. I've felt home when walking down a quiet tree-lined road while it's snowing. And I've definitely had the feeling of home on a sunny beach. :)

Have you ever thought about being "home" to God?

That may sound like a totally weird question. But in today's passage, Moses described a group of people (the tribe of Benjamin) in similar terms. Check it out:

Benjamin:

"God's beloved;

God's permanent residence.

Encircled by God all day long,

within whom God is at home."

Wow! Wouldn't you like to be described that way? That sounds pretty amazing to me. I don't know what it was exactly about the tribe of Benjamin that made God feel like they were His home, but I do have some guesses, based mainly on qualities that make me feel at home with people.

I would guess that first, the people wanted Him to be with them (which sounds really basic, but the feeling of home comes only when someone feels welcome). They trusted Him. They talked with Him in a way that was honest. They listened. They LOVED God. They knew Him well enough to know His heart.

I don't think God would just make His home in a group of people thousands of years ago and stop wanting to do so again. If we want God to feel at home in us, maybe we should try to live some of the things listed above. What are other ways we can make God feel at home in us?

Tomorrow: Joshua 1-4