at home

Life is likened to a journey in Scripture in which God's people are considered pilgrims, strangers, or sojourners through a land that is not yet their home. It is stated that we have no home or resting place in this world, but we seek one that is to come.

Actually in Jesus we begin to have that home right here. That doesn't negate Jesus' promise of preparing a place for us, but by the Spirit there is a place where we can begin to be "at home" even now.

We read that where just two or three are gathered together in Jesus' name, he is there. Even though this is in a certain context, it still applies to any gathering of God's people, such as when we gather on Sunday mornings, or at homes for fellowship.

Jesus claimed that his real family were those who obeyed God. His biological family was not necessarily where he was truly at home. Thankfully later we know that his biological (half-)brothers who had not believed in him, did, after his resurrection.

We can take for granted this oneness we have in Jesus, as Bonhoeffer reminds us. But it's a blessing, though with the tension of us not having arrived to complete maturity in Jesus. Though that's the goal we should all be moving toward together in him, now.

The point here is that we begin to be at home in God and with God's people through Christ by the Spirit. Even with the challenges that brings. This can begin to be true wherever we may be now. And someday will be perfected and true everywhere.

So we need to work at making each other be "at home," in Jesus, through the community we have in the one Spirit and one faith. And we need to help others through God's working into this same fellowship through Jesus, a fellowship of forgiveness and love. And we must show that love to members of our immediate and biological families. Not abandoning them, but praying and seeking their good in Jesus.

What would you like to add to this?