OUR HAPPY HOME
Revelation 21:15-22
“And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.”
Visalia continues to grow. In fact, in the past year two new neighborhoods have begun construction within just ½ mile of our home.
For a great many people, the home they live in is the major asset they hold. Where one lives, and the construction, design, and décor of one’s home goes far in how happy they may be. Clearly that is the hope of the builder who recently hung the banner pictured above on the entry wall of one of the new neighborhoods going up near me. The implication is that if you buy one of the new homes this company is building, it will be the happiest home you can imagine.
The banner is a bold claim. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure this builder constructs a beautiful home. I also understand the banner is merely an advertisement to prompt potential buyers to consider this neighborhood and their product. But the first time I drove by and saw the sign, as a Christian my first thought in response was, “well, that would be heaven, and I’m sorry, but I can’t even imagine it”. I can’t imagine that “happiest” home. Heaven is too great for any mere mortal to imagine.
Now if the criteria for “happiest” home as the builder implies is location, build quality, and beauty, the competition is over before it even starts if you consider the verses from Revelation 21 noted above. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians assures us of this:
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”
And yet I don’t believe Paul is necessarily talking about the gold and gemstones and pearls spoken of in the Revelation description. I think what Paul suggests we can’t imagine is living for eternity in the very presence of God. My father passed away last August, and I miss him. But I’m comforted in knowing all the pain and suffering and all-around difficulty of living in this sinful world for so many years has been replaced by the unfathomable joy of living in the presence of his heavenly Father. Funerals for believers always carry these comforting assurances for loved ones left behind. Those believers we have lost are now truly living in their “happiest home”. A beautiful description is found in Revelations 7:15-17:
“Therefore they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’[
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”
This is all great and glorious for believers who have been called from this world, but what about those of us still walking this broken earth? Pain and suffering, financial worries, family concerns and lack of security continue to plague us in this world ruined by sin, our own and that of the rest of humanity around us. Moving into a certain home in a certain neighborhood will do nothing to change that. Are we to lose heart and live lives of somber endurance, relying only on the promise of future glory to sustain us? Of course not. As believers our lives can and should still be joyful in the face of the troubles of this world. Why? Because even though we haven’t yet been called to our future “happiest” home, in our hearts God already is our home. In Psalm 46, the sons of Korah use the word “refuge” to describe God. In Psalm 91, He is called our “fortress”. Psalm 90 is the only Psalm to have been written by Moses. In its first verse, he says:
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place
in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
How fitting that Moses, who led God’s chosen people through an extended period during which they had no earthly home, understood that God himself was their home.
I stumbled on a poem, author unknown, that beautifully communicates the joy of having God as our home:
And now ”My home is God,” and shelter there,
God meets the trials of my earthly life,
God compasses me round from storm and strife,
He takes the burden of my daily care.
O Wondrous Place! O Home divinely fair!
And I, God’s little one, safe hidden there.
Lord, as I dwell in Thee and Thou in me,
So make dead to everything but Thee ;
That as I rest within my Home most fair
My soul may evermore and only see
My God in everything and everywhere
How comforting to know that even though heaven is still in our future and no earthly home can offer security and peace from the trials of this life, we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and desires for us to call Him our home.