Thursday,
December 22, 2022
1 Sam 20:5-6
5 And David
said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to
sit with the king at meat: but let me go, that I may hide myself in the field
unto the third day at even.
6 If thy
father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked leave of me
that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a yearly sacrifice there
for all the family.
1 Chron 11:17-18
17 And David
longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of
18 And the
three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well
of
It
is hard to find the same kind of holiday homesickness that fills our hearts
in the Bible. We are so mobile, and the family unit is so scattered, that we
cannot easily find a parallel in the scriptures. David probably comes closest
to the longings for home that are so familiar to us.
David
was a home boy and family was important to him. When Saul sought to take his
life, he longed to return to Bethlehem for the annual gathering of family. This
homecoming revolved around church and worship. There was an annual sacrifice,
and everyone came home for this special occasion.
While
David was bivouacked in the field, the Philistines occupied his home
city of
“Home
is where life makes up its mind. It is there-with fellow family
members-we hammer out our convictions on the anvil of relationships. It is
there we cultivate the valuable things in life, like attitudes, memories,
beliefs, and most of all, character.” Charles R. Swindoll (1934- )
Each
generation, just by living life day to day, produces nostalgic memories
for the generation to follow. There is a strong tug at our heart to come home.
The smell of turkey, sage, and pumpkin transports me home. A real wood fire in
the fireplace may not be the most efficient way to heat a house but it is a most
wonderful way to warm a heart!
I
once was the traveler but I’m now the destination for these
holiday wanderings. All I have left of home and parents are pictures etched
upon my memory. Now I am, without thinking, chiseling memories upon the hearts
of my daughter and granddaughters. Other family members are widely scattered and
the longing for family gatherings are difficult to fulfill.
Now that I am retired, I live with my daughter, in a grandparents’
suite. The house is filled with one son-in-law and two granddaughters, and four
dogs. They arrived some days ago to spend Christmas with Grandma and “Buddy.”
We are in full celebration mode. Even the dogs are enjoying their Advent calendar
with a dog treat behind each door!
People
think it is morbid to talk of being homesick for Heaven, but it is a very real
condition. It is not a death wish but a longing to be gathered with family and
friends. The loving Heavenly Father beckons us home and we brave the most
uncomfortable conditions in our quest to arrive. One day the redeemed will receive
that first hug on the threshold of home. It will be wonderful!
Matt 25:34
34 Then
shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Dear Father,
satisfy those who long for home and family at this time of the year. AMEN
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