Homesick

By R. W. McAlister

     Some time ago my family and I took a vacation to Dearborn, MI. We spent 4 days visiting the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and took some time to shop, watch a movie, and take our kids to “Chuck E. Cheese.” This was the first “real” vacation we had taken in 4 years and by that I mean we were more than just 2 hours away from home. This trip was 550 miles one way and took nearly 9 hours.
     Before we left, I noticed something – as much I wanted to see the museum and the village, I wasn’t looking forward to going as much I thought I would. The thought of being on the road that long, and being away from home that long, wasn’t as appealing as it might have once been a few years ago. Nevertheless, I had a good time (we all did), but I sure was glad to get home.
     Some of us feel like that, don’t we? We feel like it’s nice to be away for a while, to see a change of scenery, but after a while, we long for home.
     Many years ago, Kelly Willard wrote a song titled, “Homesick For Heaven.” Here are the first couple of stanzas:
            Lately I’ve been longing for heaven
            Lately I’ve been wanting to go
            To the place where tears are forgotten
            To the land where living waters flow
            Oh they tell me there are pleasures eternal
            Joy in His presence complete
            It must be that I'm homesick for heaven
            And it’s Jesus I'm longing to see
     Now, I wonder how many of us feel that way about Heaven? Are we, in a sense, homesick for Heaven? Do we long to see Jesus? I do. I pray that we all do, and if we do – if we truly want to see Jesus, we have to make sure we’re traveling the road that leads to eternity with Him.
     Not just any way will lead us there, we have to live in obedience to God’s commands.
     Here’s the pathway that leads to eternity with Jesus: First, one must hear the message of salvation (Luke 8:12; Rom. 10:17; Eph. 1:13). Second, the lost soul must believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15,16; Rom. 10:9,10). Third, the person must repent of his sins (Luke 13:3,5; Acts 2:38). Fourth, one must confess his belief that Jesus is the Son of God (Matt. 10:32,33; Rom. 10:10). Fifth, for sins to be washed away and the soul saved, one must be baptized (Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21).
     However, it doesn’t end there, as some suppose, for Jesus has said, “…be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10) and the apostle Paul knew that his crown of life was conditioned upon living a life of faithful service (II Tim. 4:6-8).
     Are you homesick for Heaven? If so, then it’s vital that you obey the Gospel and live in obedience to God. 

- R. W. McAlister preaches for the Anna Church of Christ in Anna, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.annachurchofchrist.com/