Friday, July 9: Home is where you hang your hat!

The old phrase that “home is where you hang your hat” is certainly a truth in many ways. Though vacations are fun, it is always a blessing to go home, where you sleep the best in the bed you are accustomed to. Additionally, home is where all of your “stuff” is, the boxes and boxes of possessions that evoke memories of our lives. Yet it is interesting that when a fire, landslide or other disaster is drawing nigh, the objects that we desire the most are the photos of our dearest family and friends. “Things” can be replaced, but memories have to be created anew.


In the last few weeks, the Lord has made me aware of a number of people around me who are going through drastic changes in their lives and in their homes. Two families are being evicted, a couple of others are involved in caustic battles for the home in the midst of divorce and another friend is homeless. He doesn’t like that title, for as Christians, we have a home. It is with the Lord:


“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
John 14:1-4


One of my favorite comments about this verse is that if God created the universe in six days, can you imagine how amazing our home in heaven will be, as Jesus has been preparing that for almost 2,000 years? On this earth, we put so much emphasis on our homes. They need to be just right for entertaining, as we don’t want others to see the house in disarray. Yet the truth is, God can provide for you whether you are in a mansion, a studio apartment or on a bus bench! What is most important is that we all realize this is not our home! God is outside of the dimension of time, and according to Hebrews, sees us as seated in the heavens already. We are travelers on this earth, not residents, as our home is with God. Home isn’t really where you hang your hat. Home is where you hang your heart!

Though many of us are going through difficult times, it is simple to see that we are not alone. So many people worldwide are struggling to make ends meet. Unemployment is high, debt continues to grow and many people are losing their homes. Life’s difficulties made me think of the unselfish prayer of Elijah. He prayed for a three-and-a-half-year drought to occur on the nation of Israel. That prayer was unselfish because the ensuing drought and famine would affect Elijah, too. Yet he was willing to endure the hardship so that others would be drawn to the Lord. All of us find the Lord in our brokenness. That is because of pride. When we finally realize that we cannot do it on our own, we turn to the only One who can do it for us, Jesus! Are you willing to endure hardship so that others will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior?


We dwell in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit dwells in us! Hang your heart on God. He will never let you down!


9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
 1 Corinthians 2:9