I can still remember my first nights away from home as a child. I was fine until bedtime. It didn't matter if I was with family, grandparents or cousins, come bedtime I wanted to go home to mother and dad. The toys and candy would keep my mind occupied until bedtime, but at bedtime all the loving words of comfort and promises of doing fun things the next day could not compare to being home at night with mom and dad.
I remember the awesome feeling I had when I heard the closing of the door on their old car. They had come to take me home. The sudden sense of love and security quickly erased my homesick feeling. I was not then nor am I now embarrassed of this story. I had already developed, in my heart, where my home was and I wanted to be there. The end of the day's attractions and promises of fun tomorrow could not give me the love and security to sleep in peace. Sleeping in my own bed at home with mom and dad was the good life.
Man had to leave his original home in the beginning. It was a wonderful garden paradise. He had abundant life in this place, provided by the Tree of Life. However, this man and his wife chose knowledge instead of life. They were deceived into partaking fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Ironic isn't it. Choosing more knowledge, thinking it would give them abundant life. They disobeyed God to obtain that knowledge. Life can never come to man by disobeying God, no matter how much knowledge he obtains.
Satan knows we were created in God's image. He knows what is truly in our hearts. He has deceivingly buried our desire to go home to our Father in heaven. He has used the things of this world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life, to provide layer upon layer of distractions to hide the image we were created in. We are homesick and have been deceived into not realizing it.
We have just witnessed the celebration of Christmas. The manifestation of the plan for God's Son, Jesus, to be born of a virgin, with His Spirit clothed in the flesh of man. This was in God's plan to bring us back home to Him. Jesus was born to die in our place for our sins. What Satan had stolen away from us, He came to lovingly give it back. Only we had to choose Him over the world.
We have to know and feel secure with Him to want to go home to Him. We have to be as a child when bedtime comes. We can only rest if we are at home with our mother and father. No toys or candy can give us this secured, loving, and peaceful rest. Satan with all of his worldly luring and promises can never give this kind of peace. The only life he can give is one of lies and deception. Look at the nightly news!
Jesus plainly tells us in John 10:10, The thief (Satan) only comes to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life more abundantly. (The Everlasting Gospel Version, Hugo McCord) Following the life of Christ on this earth and living the way He has shown us to live, can bring us abundant life here and for all eternity.
Jesus' birth, life, death and resurrection, shows to man how awesome God is. This is a good place to get the awe of God back in your heart. Be honest. You know if you have it or not. Here is a quick check to see. Do you look forward to praying daily? Do you worship God, with his people, weekly? Do you enjoy reading and meditating on His word daily? Do you love Him by following His commandments? Do the things of this world give you a restful sleep and peace at night or does the peace from God, which surpasses all understanding give you that sleep of confidence?
We have begun 2016. This is a very important year for our country. This is an important year for each of us. If the awe of God is not in your heart, Satan has buried it. Search for it each day. He came and suffered for all of us, so we could go home to be with Him someday. Is this not awesome? To be at home someday with the God who created the whole universe and everything that is in it. Also, do not be deceived. He created you in His image and He loves you very much. He sent His only Son to die for you and me while we were sinners.
Getting back our awe for God will change us. The change this can make in our lives, will also change the people around us. What kind of influence would this have on our children and grandchildren? Could this be your goal for 2016? I hope so!
Young married couples, the movie War Room is out on dvd. If you have not seen it, you can rent it from Red Box. This is a good movie to start your new year with.
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Thank for reading and hope you have a Happy New Year.
Rick
