In 2014, I moved from my parent’s home in sunny Florida to the fabulous city of Las Vegas. I’ll never forget what it felt like setting up my first apartment, buying my own furniture, and decorating my first Christmas tree. I created a space I loved, where I felt safe, and where I continued to become who God made me to be and really learn what that meant. The #babecave, as my apartment came to be known by my friends, will always hold a special place in my heart. But it was never “home”.
I vividly remember booking my flight home for that first Christmas away. I anticipated my trip, walking through my parent’s front door, seeing our family Christmas tree lit with decorations, drinking my Mom’s homemade hot chocolate…and I couldn’t wait to go home.
As the days stretched on, my heart ached to hop on that plane. I watched as families around me dove head-first into holiday festivities and I anticipated doing the same with my family. Michael Buble’s rendition of, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” became my theme song as I packed my bags and crossed every last item off my to do list.
My travel day finally arrived, I hopped on my plane, landed in Florida, and was finally home for Christmas. And truly, that feeling…the feeling of coming home…was unlike any other. It felt magical. It felt so right.
As I continue to grow in my relationship with Jesus, I’m beginning to understand what “coming home” as a Christ follower really means. And I imagine it feels somewhat like coming home for Christmas. As the world around me rears its head in chaos and confusion, I can’t help but long for peace, long for security, long for home.
As a Christ follower, I know this is my temporary home, simply a place on my way to eternity with Jesus. One day, I’ll wake up in a perfect place… a place where hurricanes don’t rain devastation; people aren’t divided by political opinions, nationality, color or opinions; men and women aren’t trapped by the chains of sex trafficking; families aren’t torn apart; addiction doesn’t win; and mental illness doesn’t rear it’s ugly head. In eternity, I’ll be trading the sorrows of this world for the everlasting, perfect peace of Jesus. My heart longs for that day.
While my heart is filled with hope for eternity with Jesus, I know it’s not time just yet.
“But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.” Philippians 3:20-21
One day I’ll walk through Jesus’ front door and sense my final home. But until that day, I’m going to live with all the love and intensity and passion I’ve got in my temporary home. Here’s what I know to be true: not all of my friends and loved ones know Jesus… not everyone arounds me knows or understands that this world isn’t our forever home. If I didn’t know I had eternity with Jesus, I would feel hopeless. Because I have eternity with Jesus, I am filled with a hope you can’t take away. I want everyone to get it on that hope, that eternity, our home with Christ.
As you’ve been reading, if you’ve thought, “Man, I hear what Emily’s saying…but I’ve never begun that relationship with Jesus”, I would be honored to introduce you to Him today. Warrior friend, life is hard…and it can feel hopeless everywhere we look. But one thing I know for sure—with every ounce of confidence in my being—is that I have hope in Jesus Christ. Everything may be crashing around me, but in Him, I have Hope. We’re all broken, we all sin, we all mess up. God loves us so much that He sent His son, Jesus, to die for us, taking the place for our sins. But death couldn’t conquer His love for you and for me. Three days after Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus defeated death, rising back to life. Because Jesus came back from death, we too can come back from anything in Him! Jesus doesn’t desire perfection, He simply wants a relationship with Jesus! That’s what “becoming” is all about. In a relationship with God, we can trust Him with the next step in front of us, and then the next and the next, becoming who He made us to be.
If you’re ready to experience hope in Christ, invite Him to be your Savior today! Romans 10:9 says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” You can pray your own prayer, or something like this: God, thank you for sending your Son to die for me. Will you please forgive me for the points and places I’ve messed up and fallen short? Will you please come into my heart as my Lord and Savior today? God, thank you for loving me. Help me to trust you with each step I take, becoming who you made me to be.
Friend, if you just prayed and invited Jesus into your life, I am celebrating with you BIG TIME! And I’d love to hear from you…send me a message here!
For all of us who are following Jesus, remember: in Christ we have HOPE. No matter what you’re facing, there is Hope. And His name is Jesus Christ.
This world is just our temporary home. We have hope because we have eternity with Jesus. Do you believe that? If you do, who are you sharing it with? Hope isn’t a gift meant to hold onto; it’s meant to be shared.
How did you journey through this series, 13 Reasons Why There’s Hope? My prayer for each of us is that we’ve discovered the incredible HOPE we have in Jesus Christ. I’d love to hear your story—email me here! I’m cheering you on big time, warrior friend! – Emily Cummins, Founder BecomingMe.TV
