I  witnessed the second longest soccer game of my life on Friday night! ( for those who don’t know, the game was delayed 2.5 hours because of lightning before it even started this time and then went all the way down to PKs again before the Buccaneers pulled off the great victory), Anyway, after that game we loaded up the family truckster and meander our  way through Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky and eventually spent 2 days explore the coal fields of  West Virginia on our way back to “grandma’s house”.  We witnessed historic sights, interesting architecture, backwoods that make banjos play in your mind, beautiful aspects of nature that show God’s handiwork, excellent tourists traps, and strange oddities.  We even took a mental trip trough family history as we traveled to Butchersville, WV, just outside of Weston and toured the grave of heroes where so many of my historical grandparents lie, and then spent a great day with family.  But even after all of that goodness, there is still something about going home.  So today, we will embark of quite a straight shot(as straight as you can in West Virginia) south to our home.

That sort of reminds me of the Christians life. Its not a perfect comparison, but I need to provide you some encouragement today to get your going after an awesome holiday weekend.  As much as we love the things that we put our hands to here, we are always looking to someplace else.  Our focus in life is not the roadside attractions, nor other great things of this world, but our focus in is our Savior who helps shape and direct our lives.

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3 (New International Version)

Enjoy the day, and keep your focus

That sort of reminds me of the Christians life. Its not a perfect comparison, but I need to provide you some encouragement today to get your going after an awesome holiday weekend.  As much as we love the things that we put our hands to here, we are always looking to someplace else.  Our focus in life is not the roadside attractions, nor other great things of this world, but our focus in is our Savior who helps shape and direct our lives.

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3 (New International Version)

Enjoy the day, and keep your focus

Sometimes, I think about heaven, my eternal home, and I wonder why I don’t always have the same excited feeling about going there.  Imagine how that place will be – for some reason I think it will feel more like home, then a church building.  I am going to use this little return trip to consider they way I view and feel about the return to heaven to be with God.  Its always these little things in life that help us understand and set our perspective.  I hope you spend a little time, as you return home – whether its from a day at the office, or a run to the grocery, to consider the trip.  Notice the anticipation, the  excitement and the relief.  And then consider these words about our “heavenly homecoming”.

2 Corinthians 5

 ^1-5For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.

 ^6-8That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.

 ^9-10But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:1-10, The Message)