THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

As some of you might know my husband and I are “homeless”. One of our pipes broke and we had a bit of a flood. Fortunately, we were home and able to mitigate much of the damage. However, our hardwood floors were damaged which means everything on top must be moved out in order to do repairs…including us.

The good news is we get a hot breakfast every morning in the hotel where we are staying!!

The bad news is I feel homeless. The hotel is fine but it’s just not home!!

I sat down with my cup of coffee and smiled as this old hymn came to mind.

“This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through. If heaven’s not my home, then O LORD what would I do. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door and I can’t feel at home in this world anymore.”

I would just burst out in song…but I am in a hotel. Ha!!

Seeing my circumstances in light of eternity makes all the difference in the world!!

Sometimes it takes a bit of effort to step out of our circumstances to get a larger view. In fact, the best view would be a God-perspective. How does God see the world? What is God doing and how am I a part of His plan?? And of course, the biggest question of all…is God good and is He able to accomplish the good He desires or are we left on our own to pick up the pieces???

Simply stated. In the beginning God…in the end God and everything in the middle, God.

One of my favorite stories is about Joseph and it happens in the first book of the Bible. God gives him a couple of dreams that gives him a glimpse of a glorious future. Then he is rejected by his brothers and sold as a slave. The once favorite son is now a servant in another man’s household. Yet, he holds on to his integrity. Never once do we hear him say, “Where is God and why am I in this miserable mess?”

To add salt to injury, he refuses the advances of his master’s wife and in retaliation, she accuses him of assault. With no one around but God to defend him…there is silence, and he is led to prison. Where is God? Why does He not come to his defense??

Well, you know the end of the story. Joseph continues in his integrity, so much so, that he earns the favor of the jail keeper. He has his eye on Joseph. He sees a man who lives in the dark what he says in the light. Joseph has every reason to become bitter and say, “God doesn’t see me. What’s the use of doing what’s right?!!” …but he doesn’t.
 
How does he do it? What in the world does Joseph believe that allows him to not only survive his circumstances, but to thrive in the midst of them??

The story of Joseph always baffled me until one year, I decided to take a closer look at it. If I may, I suggest at least three things.

Number one, he was given a godly heritage. Jacob was his father and had his own experiences with God… and he had a limp to prove it. Then, there was grandfather Isaac and great grandfather, Abraham. All had walked with God and despite difficult circumstances had found God faithful!!

The stories of God’s faithfulness were passed on from generation to generation. (Gen. 18:19)

Number two. God gave Joseph a dream. He was given a God-perspective or the big picture. No matter what happened in the middle, Joseph knew it was going to end well!!

Number three. The beginning of God’s revelation to man begins with a demonstration of God’s power!!! God creates the heavens and the earth by speaking it into existence. Then God looks at what He had made and says, “O this is good. This is very good!!!”

What do we learn from the very first chapters of Genesis? God is powerful and God is good!!

Then as if to say, so what? What difference does that make to me? God gives us the story of Joseph at the end of the book.

We are given insight into the heart of Joseph with these words to his brothers, “Do not be grieved with yourselves or angry because you sold me here. It was not you who sent me here, but God… Yes, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good!!!” (Genesis 45:4-8: 50:20)

So that’s the big picture. We’re not given a dream, but a Book and we know how the story ends.

Our God is powerful and what He does is good… in the beginning, in the end and in everything in between. We are not lost in the shuffle. Like Joseph, God sees and one day it will be worth it all!! (Ps. 118:1; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

I don’t know about you, but I feel like singing☺ How about setting down our coffee cups and singing together, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through…”

I would love to hear from you, did you sing? Ha!! I would also love to hear how God encourages you during difficult times? Feel free to contact m at