Going Home...

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.”
—Hebrews 11:13-17

Do you long for home? As many men and women get in their cars to head home today, I am reminded of Abraham. God had given Abraham certain promises. But the promises were conditioned on him leaving his earthly home and heading to a place that God Himself would show him, the Promised Land.

Abraham left everything he knew behind, following what God called him to do, believing that God would fulfill what He said. God brought him to the Promised Land, but it wasn’t given to him. Abraham’s faith was absolutely amazing, because he realized that the promise God had given him might not be fulfilled in his lifetime. The promises to Abraham were promises for his future. As our text today says, “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised…” (v. 13).

He died not having received the fulfillment of that promise, but believed that God would still fulfill it, even after his own death. What faith! The Bible says that he and his wife Sarah had, “seen them and greeted them from afar,” realizing that they were “strangers and exiles on the earth.” They had seen the promises of God and realized that their fulfillment would happen sometime in the future. But they would be fulfilled. They realized that they were strangers and exiles upon this earth. In other words, they understood that this world was not their home. The author of Hebrews understood their thinking when he wrote, “For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.”

Abraham and Sarah were seeking a homeland for their souls. They could have returned back to their earthly home, but they didn’t. Why? Because they were looking for something better, something altogether greater than this world ever had to offer. They were leaving their old lives behind to seek what it was that God had for them. The Scripture says that they were looking for a “better country, that is, a heavenly one.” They wanted a city that God had prepared. They were looking toward the home their souls were made for, where God manifestly ruled and they could continually worship and delight in His presence. And because of this deep faith and heartfelt desire they exhibited, the Scripture says that, “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city.”

God delighted in Abraham and Sarah’s faith and rewarded them by providing a heavenly home for them. All of us who have trusted in Christ, are also promised a heavenly home. This holiday season, as we make our way to our earthly homes, may we realize that this world is not our home; we have been made to seek something greater, a heavenly home provided by God Himself. Amen.