Looking for a place of my own...

In 2005, my then 13 year old son and I rode bicycles from Seattle, Washington across the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains, the plains of Montana and North Dakota, through Minnesota, Wisconsin, looped around the bottom of Lake Michigan through Chicago, to end up in Saginaw, Michigan. 4700kms of riding that took us 2 months. A couple of things from that trip came to mind when reading and studying Hebrews 11:1-16.

First was the fact that for much of our journey we rode off the map. We had a map that showed a very clear route for bicycles to follow across the upper US, but along the way opportunities came up or weather or roadworks which forced us to leave the maps behind and find our way to the next destination. This bothered my son who always wanted to know where we were going...how long would we be riding...when would we get there...what if we get lost. Time and again I reassured him that we would make our way and that he could just sit back and enjoy the ride. We had time, resources and there were always people along the way to help us if necessary.

Faith is like this. We really can't prove anything about what we believe. We are not really sure where life will take us. We struggle quite often to understand and know God's will. We are on a journey that continually takes us off the map.  When I was younger and planning on being a pastor, I never in my wildest imaginings ever thought I would end up fulfilling my pastoral call in a church half way around the globe on a completely different continent from where I was born and raised and most of my family still live. Life in faith is like that. It's taking a trip, but not really quite knowing what the route is going to be.  You just know that ahead of you is your final destination, which leads to the second thing.

We stayed in many cities and towns along the way. Sometimes in people's homes. Other times we camped. Other times we stayed in motels. The thing that struck us no matter where we were, was that we were not home. People were happy to see us and kind and generous, but we knew we still had the journey ahead of us. These places were not our home or our destination.  Ironically, by the time we arrived at our destination of Saginaw, Michigan, both of us were longing to be back home. In Australia. Our home. Our place.

And that's one of the big thoughts of Hebrews 11. People of faith are always, in this life, strangers and aliens. We are a people in this world, but not of it.  We are people who are looking for a place of our own. Our home. Our place.

From childhood one hymn has carried this thought and expressed so clearly what I have always believed and felt.  I share it with you here...and may God in his grace bring you to your true home. The place prepared for you. The place where you will truly be at rest with no more journeys to make.

"I'm But a Stranger Here"
by T. R. Taylor, 1807-1835

1. I'm but a stranger here,
Heav'n is my home;
Earth is a desert drear,
Heav'n is my home.
Danger and sorrow stand
Round me on every hand;
Heav'n is my fatherland,
Heav'n is my home.

2. What though the tempest rage,
Heav'n is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heav'n is my home;
And time's wild wintry blast
Soon shall be overpast;
I shall reach home at last,
Heav'n is my home.

3. There at my Savior's side
Heav'n is my home;
I shall be glorified,
Heav'n is my home;
There are the good and blest,
Those I love most and best;
And there I, too, shall rest,
Heav'n is my home.

4. Therefore I murmur not,
Heav'n is my home;
Whate'er my earthly lot,
Heav'n is my home;
And I shall surely stand
There at my Lord's right hand.
Heav'n is my fatherland,
Heav'n is my home.

Hymn #660 The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Hebrews 4:9
Author: Thomas R. Taylor, 1836, alt.
Composer: Arthur S. Sullivan, 1872
Tune: "Heaven Is My Home"