Blessed Homeland

As I heard of some devastating events in my city today, I couldn’t help but think, “This world has nothing for me.” There is enough in daily life that makes me yearn for my heavenly home, but in times like these, the heavy surges rolling, I find myself longing for heaven even more than usual. I groan in this body, longing for my true home.

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. II Cor. 5:1-3

Heaven: we will finally be free of evil, free of sin, and be complete in our new bodies, sharing eternity with our Savior. I have to remind myself that I am only passing through this barren land: I am truly an alien. I must stay focused on the life and citizenship that awaits me in my true home.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Phil 3:20-21

Can you imagine singing loud songs of triumph to our Savior, whom we’ll meet in heaven? He has reserved our “spot” in heaven for us – through His mercy we are born again and obtain the inheritance as His children. I love that it is imperishable, undefiled and will not fade away!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. I Peter 1:3-5

We all have many throbbing cares in this fallen world. Things just aren’t how God originally intended: there is sin and evil all around us. But as this hymn says, when we’re in our blessed homeland, our longings and our yearnings will be hushed by peace. That’s something to look forward to. And while we’re still here groaning on earth, we can be encouraged that Jesus has made the way for us – He has passed through the heavens as our great high priest, and He can sympathize with us because He’s experienced the same feelings as us.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:14-15

When the heavy surges roll around you, call on your Great High Priest who has prepared a place for you, and has guaranteed your inheritance through his grace and mercy. And, keep your eyes heavenward, looking forward to that glorious day when the Lord will return and we’ll all be home. Really home.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. I Thess. 4:16-17

Blessed Homeland
Words by Fannie Crosby

Gliding o’er life’s fitful waters,
Heavy surges sometimes roll;
And we sigh for yonder haven,
For the homeland of the soul.

Refrain
Blessed homeland, ever fair!
Sin can never enter there;
But the soul, to life awaking,
Everlasting bloom shall wear.

Oft we catch a faint reflection,
Of its bright and vernal hills;
And, though distant, how we hail it!
How each heart with rapture thrills!

To our Father, and our Savior,
To the Spirit, Three in One,
We shall sing glad songs of triumph
When our harvest work is done.

’Tis the weary pilgrim’s homeland,
Where each throbbing care shall cease,
And our longings and our yearnings,
Like a wave, be hushed to peace.