HOME, AT LAST

This post is part of the September blog chain with ChristianWriters.com. Our theme for the month of September is “Coming Home.” Please visit the links in the right column to see what my friends have to say about “Coming Home.”

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Excuse me for bragging, but my home is awesome! Some would call it a mansion.

From years of living in earthquake-prone California, you’ll understand how reassuring it is that my home’s sturdy foundation is built in 12 layers. I can’t explain how it was constructed, only that it is the firmest foundation a home can have. 

When you enter my home, one thing you’ll notice is the wonderful scent. There is incense burning at all times. Not the heavy musk that causes headaches. This incense is light and sweet-smelling. 

You’ll also notice that my home is filled with color. The red walls are striking against the golden floors. There’s a feeling of vibrancy in my home. Yet there’s also a unique sense of peace.

As a writer, it’s important to mention the library in my home. It’s filled with all kinds of books. Not written by me, but they all clearly show that they were written by the hand of God.

The main room in my home is a gathering place. It holds—not a couch—but 25 enormous chairs—so grand and lovely, they’re almost like thrones. There is one very large one and 24 smaller ones. The 24 are reserved for elders. The large one is white. It’s really great!

Did I mention that my home is on waterfront property? It has a view of the sea—not the wildly crashing, violent ocean so typical of Northern California. The panoramic view below my home is of a clear sea, calm as glass.

In the other direction, you’ll see a beautiful river winding through the city. On each side of the river are fruit trees. The trees provide delicious fruit throughout the year. The leaves themselves have healing properties. 

My home has 12 gates for entry to the property. Even the gates are beautiful—pearly in appearance—yet clear enough not obstruct the view. But the gates are mostly decorative, since they’re always open and welcoming people into my home. 

It might sound funny, but I keep palm branches handy. From time to time it seems like a multitude of people are in my home. Everybody likes to wear white robes and wave their palm branches toward the large throne-like chair. They sing, too. The acoustics in my home are so wonderful that somehow, everyone’s craggy voices sound almost angelic. 

But it’s not just people who enjoy my home. There are also an unbelievable number of horses, a lamb, an ox, an eagle, and even a lion. It’s the Lamb, though that everyone loves most. He gets the very best seat in the house, next to his father. People surround the Lamb and the Father and are forever, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb
be praise and honor
and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

 Before you know it, angels join in with their harps and trumpets. And it’s a heavenly sing-along!

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No, this is not the home I live in now. It is my heavenly home; my eternal home; the home promised to me, because I first believed.

Jesus said: “My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?” John 14:2

The mansion in heaven is huge. There’s room enough for all of us. I’ll be coming home before I know it. I’m not in a hurry, but I’d sure love for you to join me there.

I’ll bring the palm branches. You bring the incense.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise of spending eternity with you. Thank you, Jesus for going ahead to prepare a place for us. Thank you, Holy Spirit for keeping us on the narrow path that leads to the gate of our eternal home. Amen.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? What aspects of John’s vision of heaven set out in the Book of Revelation call loudest to you?