"Homesick"
Daniel Valles

READ Romans 8:22-25

"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.  For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."  As we look around our world today, we observe many disparaging events and spiritual conditions.  Many people have no moral compass in life, they have no hope of eternity, sin is rampant, irreverence to God, willingly ignorant fools, and then we see that even the Creation itself is groaning and travailing under the curse of sin, especially more as we fulfill the beginnings of sorrows.  Yet, in all of this morass, we need to be homesick for a home that we have never seen.  Our heart should daily burn for Christ's return and our redemption from this cursed flesh.  Our hope is not anchored anywhere in this world.  Our life's boat has an anchor line that disappears into depths of eternity.  There, it is firmly anchored to the Rock, Christ Jesus (Psalms 18:31, 1 Corinthians 10:4).  Our harbor is on the heavenly shore.  Many of us still have rough seas ahead in life, some have shorter journeys than others.  Romans 8:35 says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?"  If you are on a boat in the middle of a tempest, you do not have any place physical that you can put firm trust in.  The Christian life is not like that.  Even in the worst of the worst, Christians can look up with hope.  One day we will awake from this cursed world and see Him, our Saviour, face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12).

What brings you joy in life?  Is it your circumstances?  Is it a lack or absence of tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword?  If your joy comes from that, you are in for some rude awakenings real soon.  Our joy should come from our salvation, not our circumstances!  When you get discontented and depressed in life, it is because you have lost sight of your salvation, Christ's Return, your blessed hope (Titus 2:13)!  Circumstances and sin can cloud and distract our vision, that is why we flee from sin and its lusts.  Psalm 125:4-5 says, "Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.  As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity..."  Do I strive to be upright in my heart?  God is not as concerned about them that are upright in their Sunday dress and hypocritical perfectness.  No!  He cares about those that are upright "in their hearts"!  Anybody can put on a good show.  Anyone can walk the walk and talk the talk.  What about you?  Is your faith and hope real?  Have your sins been forgiven?  If so, stop wallowing in them!  God did not forgive our sins just so that we can appear good yet still nurture our private sins in some dark corner of our heart!  We must strive to be upright in our hearts!  There are many saved Christians, who started out walking the right way, but turned "aside unto their crooked ways."  Do not follow the world and its lusts!  It sees and lusts after temporal things.  The Christian who is upright in heart is looking into eternity, living in light of His soon Return, cleansing his life from sin, and is waiting not for what this world has to offer, but to a fellowship and communion with Christ.

Malachi 3:16-18  "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.  And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.  Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not."  What do you talk about with Christians at church or in your local ministry?  What do you talk about when you go out to eat, or when you are visiting each other?  Do you even talk to other Christians that you can talk with?  There is a 'church' about two blocks from me that has several thousands in attendance.  Almost every Christian I have talked with that has visited it noticed that there was an absence of fellowship there.  Everything is prime and proper, but it is dead.  The administration has become so focused on appearance and desiring the praise of men more than the praise of God that it is common for people there to associate righteous living with 'uprightness in appearance.'  I have visited there several times and talked with the people, some of whom I know.  People come in, sit down, chit-chat, observe the 'service', then the 6,000+ auditorium clears out in literally ten minutes the second the paid hireling, er 'pastor', is done.  It is rare to see people linger afterwards and talk.  It is rare to see people before the service intermingle and talk.  The primary topics of conversation revolve mainly around work, work, work, and sports.  In the time that I did visit there, it was a very rare blessing to find an older couple or two who would speak as Christian to Christian.  We talked about doctrine and much more!  The time of fellowship before the 'service' was more of a blessing than the glitzy singing and performing that took place later.  Why am I mentioning this?  That 'church' mentality stifles Christian growth.  When Christians get used to looking at temporal markers such as appearances, performance, and circumstances, we lose more sight of Christ's Return.  It is so so easy to not be upright in heart when you are attending a church of even a couple hundred.  Why?  Little accountability.  If you spend serious time talking to a Christian who sincerely fears the Lord (Mal. 3:16), you should quickly either be encouraged to study God's Word and live for Him more, or it should create in you a desire to fear the Lord as you aught.  It is very interesting to see a Christian who regularly goes to a large church talk with a Christian who regularly attends a church (usually much smaller) and who fears the Lord.  It makes one of them uncomfortable, and it makes the other one a bit irritated or bored at the shallow conversation.

The verses remark that the LORD, Himself, stated that those that fear and serve Him and fellowship with other Christians who fear God, are very precious in His sight.  They are included as His jewels, someone of whom He is very proud.

What about you?  Do you sigh and long for Christ's Return?  Are you homesick for Heaven?  Does Psalm 119:74 describe your interaction with fellow Christians?  "They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word."  Or are they more excited to see you because you have the latest gossip or sports scores?  Are we looking at circumstances to define our happiness instead of fellowshipping and a relationship with Christ?  Has sin and material objects clouded our vision, perspective, and hope?  Are you striving to live upright in heart?  Do you desire God to work in you and to cleanse your life, to make His desires yours?  Are you fellowshipping with other Christians about Him and His Word?  Do you fear God and serve Him?  Will He proudly call you one of His jewels?

Psalm 130:5-6  "I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning."  Christ's Return is more dependable and sure than even the sun coming up in the morning.  Let us have that kind of faith and hope - and live in light of it.  Maranatha!