A Place of Our Own

The other night at Bible study someone told the story of a woman who had been homeless for years, but finally was able to rent an efficiency apartment. She was full of joy to have her own safe and secure place, her own refrigerator, her own bed, her own blanket.

Most of us take our own place for granted. In America most people have more stuff, more space, more blankets, than we’ll ever use.

I remember a late night taxi ride I took in Chennai, India, many years ago. It was my first international trip, and I had a short layover in a nice hotel near the airport. I was shocked to see hundreds of people lying in rows, sleeping on the sidewalk. Another time at a conference I attended a young African church planter was asked where his family lived. He replied simply, "Under a tree."

Some people do not and will not have their own place. Some of those people, on the street or under a tree somewhere, are believers in Christ. Some of them went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth (Hebrews 12:37b-38).

This world is not our home, not really.

Our hope and longing are for our own place, designed and prepared by the One who loves us best and who waits there to welcome us, finally, home. Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:1-3.