The Homecoming of God

Scripture — Isaiah 60:4-5 (NRSV)

Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

Devotion

It’s a wonderful thing to have people you love return home. For eighteen years, my children lived mostly in our home, except for sleepovers, school trips, and summer camp. My wife, Linda, and I loved having them with us. Then, in 2011, things began to change. Our son, Nathan, headed off to New York to begin his college experience at NYM. Two years later our daughter, Kara, followed Nathan to the East Coast when she began her freshman year at Harvard. All of a sudden Linda and I were empty nesters. Though we enjoyed our new freedom, we missed our children terribly. (They would want me to confess to you that I found many ways to visit them, stirring up all sorts of work on the East Coast. I would say it was God’s miraculous provision.)

When our kids left home, Linda and I loved the holidays when they were able to return. Having them back with us was glorious . . . though always too short. Nevertheless, our hearts were “thrilled” and “rejoiced” when Nathan and Kara were able to be with us once again.

For the children of Israel, coming home represented more than a holiday vacation, however. It meant that their centuries-long exile was over. God had forgiven their sins and was in the process of restoring the nation. Israel’s future homecoming would be a tangible sign that the kingdom of God was at hand.

Millions of people in our world today are exiles like the children of Israel, people yearning to return to their homeland when it’s safe to do so. But even if you’re not a literal exile, you may know what it’s like to be away from “home.” And you may know how it feels to come “home” to Jesus Christ.

When we accept God’s grace through faith in Christ, we already begin to experience a homecoming. Our souls are at home with the Lord. We can make our home in Jesus right now (John 15:4). Yet there is an even greater homecoming yet to come. In the vision of Revelation, we read: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away’” (Rev 21:3-4). Notice that in this vision we are not going up to heaven to make our home with God. Rather, God is coming to dwell with us. God’s home will be with us. Amazing!

Scripture teaches that there will be a time when God will make a home among us, and we will be fully at home with God in the new creation. Don’t you long to be at home with the Lord in that way? Indeed, with the earliest Christians, we pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (1 Cor 16:21).

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: What Does the Book of Revelation Say About the “Big Picture” of Work in Our Times?.