There are very few feelings that can compare to coming home. Going away to school - taking an extended vacation - serving in the Peace Corps or armed services - all these draw people away from home for extended periods of time. You steel yourself and make do - not many choices otherwise. Then the day finally arrives - you complete classes - you end your vacation - your time of service and commitment come to an end - and you return home. You return home to people - to pets - to places - to old hang outs. You return to those things that make your life comfortable. You rejoice that once again your comfort level is where you want it to be. In the process of growing up and leaving childish things behind as we evolve into adults - we often have to give up that comfort level and move on with our lives and away from things that made us comfortable.
For some that means moving away from their childhood religious practices and seeking and searching God elsewhere. Sometime this works and some people settle into a new and exciting worship life. For others - this seeking and searching creates a lot more questions and issues than it solves. The comfort level disappears and anxiety replaces peace and contentment. Even though they seek God elsewhere they never feel the comfort level they once had - finally after an extended time away from what was once comfortable - they return to their roots only to discover the exact peace and comfort that they were seeking elsewhere. In their searching - they have come full circle and return to the spiritual home where they began. Better informed they now make a decision on their own - to once again embrace God where they first met Him. Standing in the doorway as they return to their spiritual house of worship is Jesus - arms wide - a smile on His face - saying "Welcome Home".
Deacon Dale
Deacon Dale
