The other morning, I had an early flight to my beloved hometown of Chicago. As compared to other times, unfortunately I was traveling to a home going celebration. A friend who I call brother of nearly 50 years was preparing to say farewell to his mother. Concurrently, the post graduate student happened to be at home (North Carolina) visiting. She volunteered as Tribute to drop me off at the airport well before the crack of dawn. Once I settled at the departure gate, I became a wee bit concerned as I’d not heard from her to let me know that she was back home. I looked at the alarm system panel on my phone which was still armed. A second later I received a text message from her that read, “I’m home. I got lost.” My response, “I’m glad. I just looked at my watch wondering. Glad you found your way.” I thanked God. There is a ton of construction around our home that confuses me during daylight hours, so I could only imagine how it may have interrupted her journey in the dark. I wondered, “How does God feel when we loose our way?”
No matter what we experience, we can always find our True North in God. In God, no matter where we go and no matter what we encounter, we are home in Him. We will get lost. We live in a sinful world. We navigate temptations and the desire to do what we feel without thinking about the consequences that may disfavor someone else. May I be transparent? Sometimes, “lost” feels pretty good until you desire the comfort of that which is familiar, peaceful, assuring and comfortable. The prodigal son was in the streets living his best life until he lost everything. Soon thereafter, he remembered what he had access to and chose to go home. Home welcomed him back, threw a party in his honor and gave him jewels for his wayward journey. Luke 19:10 reads, “For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.” God did not give conditions for finding us – in fact we have the ability to insert in said scripture, whatever difficulty or challenge we’ve endured for the finding and restoring. No matter the roadblocks, barriers and detours, God sits as likened to our front porch, our driveway, our walkup, our stoop – with open arms and deliberately when we get lost.
After attending the home going service, I had a quick chance to stop by the outside of my home. My college roomie snapped a picture. As I glanced up at the window I recall my mom staring out of the window looking, waiting, praying for me to come home safe. Like the prodigal son, I too was in the streets living what I thought to be my best life. To God be the Glory, He brought me home safe each time. Not always without incident, but home nonetheless. When I became a parent and our daughter was old enough to go out without our assistance, I too waited with great expectation, accompanied by very little rest until she arrived home. Even a decade later, as I sat in the airport I held my breath waiting to receive that text. If as a parent we desire safety and offer solace to those we love, certainly we can understand and appreciate how it makes God feels when we place our hope in the home of Him. He never said we wouldn’t loose our way, but He did say that He would never leave nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Prayerfully, we don’t strive to get lost on purpose, but when we do, may we be compelled to remember that not only is God love, but God is our forever home.
