Time is flying by in my little "Lauren world."
Matt and I were pretty much traveling from July 20th-Aug. 18th. We were home for a few days here and there on weekends when he had to work (and I had to do laundry and repack) but other than that we were traveling. (We also traveled some at the end of August and beginning of September
because of my Mamaw's unexpected illness and her departure to be with
Jesus).
It was a true blessing to go all the places we went and see all the people we saw!
However it was also exhausting, especially for pregnant me! I am thankful for the travels and I am thankful to be home.
All that said, I realized that all our traveling actually helped me appreciate my home more. To be honest this house really hadn't felt like home until getting back at the end of the summer.
It has been a challenge to get our little girl's room ready for her arrival because prior to all the
traveling I was working several jobs.... All of these things have made me think on future things, which is something we are compelled and I would venture to say, commanded to do in Scripture:
Colossians 3:1-2, "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on things that are on earth."
You see one of my favorite truths in Scripture is that THIS world is NOT our home as Christ followers. We are just pilgrims passing through. We are on a journey, an adventure, a pilgrimage to a New World.
The Bible uses this type of language calling us aliens, pilgrims, and strangers to this world. You see we are out of place here. It is like the the lyrics in the Switchfoot song that say, "I don't belong here..."
We never want a particular home or certain geographical location to become so comfortable that we forget that we are just passing through. While we may enjoy those things, our hearts should be longing and yearning for what is to come. We can be biblical by being effective for the cause of Christ and the spread of the Gospel all the while keeping our heart somewhat "detacthed" from this place. This is done with the knowledge that we don't belong here.
The other thing that I got thinking about is that Jesus is preparing a place for me.
The reality of an eternal world has become even more real to me this year as two of my precious grandparents have left this temporal world. My Papaw on February 23, 2012 and Mamaw on September 3, 2012 (the day after her 80th birthday).
While I miss them both terribly, I am so thankful that I am not left without hope. Oh no, I am confident that they are with Jesus. I am sure that they are worshiping Him and celebrating the new life apart from sin they had been waiting for their whole lives.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Honestly, all of this makes me want to know more of what the Bible has to say about heaven and eternity. Even though I grew up in a Christian home and was taught Biblical values, I think I have let a lot of the cultural ideas of heaven sink into my mind instead of really knowing what Scripture says. So I don't have a lot of answers right now... but I do have hope, a real living hope. You can have this same hope as you trust in Christ alone by faith alone for your salvation.
1 Peter 1:3-9
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
