CHRISTIANS AND CLIMATE

The "Evangelical Climate Initiative" is an important and urgent statement about how Christian discipleship relates to care of the planet. Followers of Christ in the Western world have often not considered how climate change affects the poor and vulnerable more than it does others, but the ECI helps us see this clearly. What's more, I found the stated reasons for the necessity of an active response by Christians to climate change to be both persuasive and compelling:

• "Christians must care about climate change because we love God the Creator and Jesus our Lord, through whom and for whom the creation was made. This is God's world, and any damage that we do to God's world is an offense against God Himself (Gen. 1; Ps. 24; Col. 1:16).
  
• Christians must care about climate change because we are called to love our neighbors, to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, and to protect and care for the least of these as though each was Jesus Christ himself (Mt. 22:34-40; Mt. 7:12; Mt. 25:31-46).
  
• Christians, noting the fact that most of the climate change problem is human induced, are reminded that when God made humanity he commissioned us to exercise stewardship over the earth and its creatures. Climate change is the latest evidence of our failure to exercise proper stewardship, and constitutes a critical opportunity for us to do better (Gen. 1:26-28)."

The Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College recently hosted a lecture series on "Global Climate Change: A Faithful Response," in which Dr. Duane Litfin, President of Wheaton College and a signer of the ECI, was a participant. Wheaton's CACE also offers a brief review of the documentary film, "An Inconvenient Truth."

May the Lord grant us wisdom and courage to face these enormous challenges!

BART CAMPOLO ON HELL

BART CAMPOLO AND THE DOCTRINE OF HELL

By Dr. Peter K. Nelson
Senior Pastor, Goshen Baptist Church
West Chester, Pennsylvania

In his article, “The Limits of God’s Grace” (Journal of Student Ministries, Nov.-Dec., 2006), Bart Campolo challenges the classic biblical doctrine of hell, favoring instead a notion of universal salvation. This is a noteworthy essay, not only because of its strong claims but because it is being presented in a publication that has had a significant influence within evangelical ministry circles. Numerous responses to this work are circulating on the internet. I want to comment on several lines of Campolo’s reasoning and various aspects of the case he makes.

SALVATION AND WORKS

If the logic implicitly followed in the article is made explicit, it boils down to a theology of works. The sorrowful story of a nine-year-old girl who is horribly abused and later rejects the Lord for allowing this tragedy is the backdrop for a merit-based view of relating to God. The implication is that, if you suffer enough, if you endure enough pain and abuse in this life, then it is unthinkable that things could turn out badly for you in the end. In other words, the person who faces a sufficient amount of unjust suffering deserves the eternal favor of God. In fact, it is determined that God would be guilty of acting in a way that is out of line and unconscionable if he were to condemn anyone who had faced such an extent of suffering.

There are two problems here. First, how much suffering is enough to exempt a person from the wrath of God? How deeply painful and traumatizing must the abuse be in order to qualify a person absolutely to escape final condemnation? Surely Campolo would not imagine that someone, say, spanked too hard one time as a child would be, for that reason, necessarily bound for heaven. On the other hand, he is vigorous in the effort to portray as innocent victims those who suffer serious abuse, and for such victims any denial of final bliss would be unthinkable. The lack of an objective measure of the seriousness of one’s suffering is a major flaw of reasoning.

Second, and more importantly, in the Bible it is quite clear that no one is saved on the basis of his or her deserving, but only through the all-sufficient merit of Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph 2:8-9, NIV). “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:4-5a). “We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal 2:15-16a). Scores of additional texts could be cited. It would be hard to overstate the importance of this bedrock biblical theme, which was emphasized by the Reformers and has been upheld by orthodox believers through the ages.

DOCTRINE OF GOD

In addition, Campolo frames the whole discussion so as to magnify the love of God and mask various other divine attributes. There simply is no grappling with the holiness of God, or with divine justice, or with the righteous wrath of the Lord. Rather than presenting a balanced and comprehensively biblical doctrine of God and then building an informed understanding of eternal destinies on that founda­tion, it is assumed throughout that love exhaustively represents the character of God.

The boldness with which Campolo asserts his view is stunning: “I simply am not interested in any God but a completely good, entirely loving, and perfectly forgiving One who is powerful enough to utterly triumph over evil. Such a God may not exist, but I will die seeking such a God, and I will pledge my allegiance to no other possibility because, quite frankly, anything less is not worthy of my worship.” We must bear in mind, however, that church history is littered with misguided movements and tragic distortions of the gospel that have resulted from half-truths and the neglect of the full array of divine attributes.

The end product of this approach to God, of course, is belief in universal salvation, a complete redemption and absolute healing “for all of us.” Campolo states that he is not afraid God will damn people if they do not accept Jesus, nor is he in doubt about the hope of universal redemption. In fact, Campolo goes further and depicts negatively those who do not share this hope, although he does not begin to interact with the reasons for which classical Christian belief has always rejected universalism.

BIBLICAL AUTHORITY

It seems that Campolo forms his convictions regarding eternal destiny in a way that neglects biblical authority. With reference to his claim that God is absolutely and entirely loving, he states, “This is my first article of faith. I required no Bible to determine it, and—honestly—I will either interpret away or ignore altogether any Bible verse that suggests otherwise.” He goes on, “I came to trust the Bible again, of course, but only because it so clearly bears witness to the God of love I had already chosen to believe in.” What is absent here is the humble disposition of letting God set the agenda for our thinking and practice; there simply is no readiness to seek out and submit to “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Campolo provides a clear, if disturbing, example of fashioning firm beliefs without genuinely seeking to ground them in the witness of Scripture.

CANON WITHIN A CANON

Campolo favors the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels over against other sections of the New Testament because the life, death and resurrection of Christ seem to be “the best expression of the ultimate truth of God,” namely grace. But this is putting the cart before the horse: how does one responsibly identify the best expression of the ultimate truth of God but by first reading the Bible—the whole Word of God—and then seeking to discern its overarching message about one topic or another (e.g., eternal states)?

Further, when Campolo summarizes the task of following Jesus in the Gospels as feeding the poor and freeing the oppressed, he does not adequately represent the biblical balance of word and deed in discipleship (see, e.g., Luke 4:18-19; 9:2; Matt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). A study of Mark’s Gospel, for example, shows Jesus and his followers casting out demons and healing the sick as well as proclaiming God’s Word (e.g., 1:14-15, 21, 34, 38; 2:2, 13; 3:14-15; 4:1; 6:12-13); there is a balance of attention to body and soul, to physical and spiritual needs. Framing Jesus’ ministry in terms of social action, however, takes away from this healthy and balanced attention to the whole range of human needs.

RESPONSE TO TRUTH

Campolo puts himself forward in this article in such a way that that minimizes and makes light of truth and of the importance of distinctions between right and wrong. “John Calvin—or Jerry Falwell for that matter—may well be right after all, but if they are I would rather cling to my glorious hope than accept their bitter truth just to save my own skin.” Without going into the various problems created by lumping Calvin and Falwell together in this way, it must at least be noted that this disregard for truth is as far-reaching as it is bold. The impression given is that the beliefs of various other people with whom Campolo disagrees are foolish to say the least, and perhaps even reprehensible. A parallel impression is that Campolo presumes to have the right to dismiss historic doctrines and the revealed truth of Scripture that undergird orthodox theology, thus allowing him to put forward his own distinctive set of ideas.

Furthermore, there is a flippancy about the horrors of hell in this article. To say, under any terms, that you would prefer hell over the prospect of having to accept the views of people you disagree with is grossly to minimize the seriousness of the biblical fact of God’s wrath. Readers are not helped when truth is made subordinate to this kind of brazen disregard of profound and sobering eternal realities.

At one point Campolo contends, “If those things [i.e., claims about the eternal suffering of those who do not accept Christ, and notions of divine sovereignty encompassing human tragedy] are true, then God might as well send me to hell.” The soul gasps when reading this assertion. By contrast, a fitting, God-honoring response at this point might have been, “If those things are true, then I pray that the Lord would graciously and powerfully work in my life to help me accept and submit without reservation to his ways and designs, because I want nothing more in all the universe than to honor God and embrace the Lord’s saving work, through which he offers me deliverance from final judgment.”

NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

In “The Limits of God’s Grace,” Campolo fiercely dismisses what is portrayed as a stiff, unfeeling theology, and aggressively commends instead an avant-garde and fresh perspective on God and life. The fact is, however, that there is nothing new or fresh about these ideas. What they amount to, ultimately, is a return to various errors and imbalances that have harmed the church and misrepresented the Word of God at various times in the past (e.g., universalism, the social gospel movement, adopting a canon within the canon, dismissing divine sovereignty, neglecting major aspects of God’s character).

Perhaps the one thing that is fresh and cutting edge in this article is the staggering boldness, the brazen “in your face” approach with which Campolo dismisses biblical authority and assumes the right to determine for himself just what kind of a God there is and must be. He declares that no other conception produces a God worthy of his worship. In the end, Campolo maintains that he will not respond to God in any way other than the way he deems best, and that he will not consider any other view of the Bible, of theology, or of God. There is a vehemence about this essay, a tenacity which, sadly, is deployed in support of seriously misguided hermeneutical and theological claims.

THE END OF GENESIS

Genesis begins with the familiar account of creation. God makes lights, skies, waters, land, animals. The pinnacle of creation involves fashioning humans in God’s own image. When most people think of the first book of the Bible, they think of the creation story.

But do you know how Genesis ends? Chapters 37-50 tell of Joseph’s tumultuous life (favorite son, hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, framed, imprisoned, yet preserved by God and eventually raised to a high office under Pharaoh). Many years after betraying him, his devious brothers beg for mercy. Should Joseph give them what they deserve? He decides to forgive, and then says, “As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, for the saving of many lives” (50:20).

This is not just about finding good in natural calamities (e.g., sickness, disasters), but recognizing God’s good hand at work even beneath the brutal, hateful acts of human sinners. While God is not the author of sin, in his sovereign ingenuity he weaves “all things together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Yes, all things.

Do you dare to trust the Lord today in a radical way, like Joseph? To trust him with cancer? To trust him with job loss? To trust him with bankruptcy? I know this is hard—it certainly doesn’t come naturally. But by God’s help we can learn to rest in the midst of the storm, knowing that God has not lost control and is weaving strands of pain and suffering into a good future.

PRAYER AND RESULTS

Ephesians 1:15-23 challenges us to practice "mature prayer.” Let’s pursue that idea.

My point is that, as Paul prayed for a high-impact work of God among the Ephesians—an exhibition of immeasurably great divine power (1:19)—he did so as an apostle in chains (6:20). He desired grand transformation for them while enduring miserable affliction himself. His ambitious prayers did not yield relief for his own wrenching trials.

A simplistic reading of the Bible’s prayer promises can be dangerous. “Ask and it will be given to you…” (Matt 7:7). “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13; cf. Mark 11:24; 1 John 3:22; 5:14-15; etc.). Are these blanket promises? No.

Prayer is not a switch: flip the switch, get what you want (remember 2 Corinthians 12:7-10). The Lord intends us to live with affliction, at least on some level; he doesn’t promise trouble-free living. There’s a cross to bear (Luke 9:23; cf. Romans 8:17; 2 Timothy 3:12). We’re to follow in the steps of the suffering Christ (1 Peter 2:21).

Keeping these texts in balance, in tension, takes a measure of spiritual maturity. It would be easy to fall into triumphalism (ask and it’s yours!) or defeatism (sorrow is my lot in life!). Spiritual maturity avoids both errors. Think of Heb­rews 13:3 and 5 (almost back to back): God will never leave us, yet some of us end up in prison for our faith!

Think of it this way: when you pray and ask the Lord for anything at all, he’ll either give you what you ask for or something better. And he’ll define “better” and act for your good in his time! Mature prayer is at peace with this.

PRAYER CONVERSATION

I’m sure you’ve had the experience of getting caught in a one-sided conversation: your friend goes on and on talking about everything under the sun, from the inane to the profound, including traffic jams, low barometric pressure, rising gas prices, arthroscopic surgery, and mortgage interest rates. You wonder how this person can say so much and still breathe. One thing is sure, when you’re on the receiving end of a one-sided “conversa­tion,” you realize that your thoughts don’t matter.

Sadly, our prayer lives get this way too. We come to God with a wish list and go on and on about all the things we want. In the end it’s all a monologue. We take center stage and rattle on about our needs, our feelings, our wishes, our worries, our fears, our demands. It’s all about us. Will we let God get a word in edgewise, and do we care what he has to say?

A more humble approach is to let the Lord go first. Turn to the Scriptures, the “Word of God,” and allow the Lord speak his good words of comfort, consolation, challenge, and rebuke to your soul: be open to all he has to say! Then let the truth to sink in (don’t hurry) and see how the Lord prompts you to pray in response. You may be surprised at the new requests you make.

This way prayer becomes a conversation: God speaks to us through the Word, and we reply with praise, confes­sion, thanks, and petition. Does your prayer life include two-way communication?

SOUL PRAYER

The most striking thing about Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-19 is his focus on the soul: all his requests have to do with the health and growth of the inner being, the “heart,” and none of them center on bodily needs. Although in chains (6:20), Paul’s petitions escape the mundane and transport him into lofty realms of spiritual transformation.

The most sobering thing about Paul’s prayer is how different it is from my typical pattern. My tendency has been to ask the Lord for material blessings of all kinds (health, safety, income, nice weather, etc.). In Ephesians 3 these matters just don’t occur to Paul. Not that it’s wrong to pray for bodily needs and creature comforts—it’s right (e.g., James 5:16, pray for healing). But there’s so much more to an authentic, abundant life for a child of God on this earth: so much more.

The most incredible thing about Paul’s prayer is how high he sets his sights. In other words, the appeal is not merely for a soul tune-up but a total overhaul. In 3:18 the plea is that God would enable us to truly grasp the vast proportions of Christ’s love; in 3:19 Paul’s cry is that believers would “be filled with all the fullness of God.” What more can one ask in prayer for Christians than that God would fill them to the brim with his very presence?

So, is your prayer life soaring with Paul’s lofty heart-cry in 3:14-19, or is it stuck in foggy lowlands?

KNOWING GOD'S WILL

Ephesians 5:17 talks about knowing God’s will. The big picture (Eph 1:9-11) is that the Lord wills to bring all things under the reign of Christ, and toward that end he is forming an international fellowship of formerly-hostile but now-reconciled people into one new body, the church (2:11-22). In more personal terms, God’s will for your life is to walk in holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

But some questions remain unanswered: Should you go to Penn State or Taylor University or enlist or get a job? Should you pop the question? Should you make a career change? Should you study linguistics and join Wycliffe and translate the Bible for an unreached people group?

Although I can’t answer these questions for you, God makes his will known, in his time, when we are:

1. in the Word (the Lord never “speaks” to his people in ways that contradict what he has already revealed in the Scriptures)
   
2. in conversation with him through prayer
   
3. truly open to all possibilities
   
4. patient (trust God to make waiting therapeutic)
   
5. humbly receptive counsel from mature Christians, including leaders in your church
   
6. aware of your spiritual gifts
   
7. stepping out in faith to serve the Lord (you can’t steer a parked car).

.

WHEN YOU PRAY

Jesus has strong words for us about prayer in Matthew 6:5-8 and 14-15 (verses surrounding the Lord’s Prayer):

• “When you pray…” Not if, but when. Is prayer an “if” for you, an option? A good idea that you get to sometimes—like flossing your teeth? Or is it really your soul’s lifeblood?
• Don’t pray like a hypocrite. Our motives get mixed—and mixed up—easily. When you pray in the company of others, is there something deep down that seizes the opportunity and twists or tilts things ever so slightly to make you look good?
• Don’t pray “in bulk.” Buying in bulk can mean getting a better deal, but praying long prayers has no advantage. Don’t blabber on and on. Be concise and direct. Be silent at times.
• Forgiving other people is a prerequisite for authentic prayer. God has so designed the human experience that we cannot receive his forgiveness in prayer if we will not forgive those who’ve offended us. Not that we earn God’s favor by forgiving others—you’d have to undo the gospel of grace to see it that way. What it does mean is that truly forgiven hearts are the kind of hearts that extend grace to others; truly forgiven people cannot go on and on holding a grudge. But it also means that authentic believers need God’s warnings—the threat of divine wrath, like the ravine below a cliff-side trail, helps keep us close to Christ.

CARROT, STICK, AND MISSIONS

Does “missions” excite you? I’m guessing that your answer depends tremendously on whether God’s global cause has been brought to you with a carrot or a stick.

It’s true that Jesus tells us to go to all the people groups on earth and make disciples (Matt 28:19-20)—it’s a command, and our job as a church is to obey. This is our duty. But there’s more to the story. In fact, if missions is merely a duty for us, we will not honor the Lord who reveals his heart for the world in the Scriptures.

Beckoning the nations to join in the praise of Christ is God’s glorious cause for which time itself still goes on (Matt 24:14; 2 Pet 3:8-9). And the summons to the peoples of the world is to come the Lord and “rejoice”—let the nations be glad (Ps 67:4; 96:11; 97:1; 98:4; 100:1). We invite the lost to meet the One who made them and loves them, and to bow before this King in joyful, thankful, hopeful worship! This is no mere duty.

The big picture of God’s direction for humanity is this: “Blessed be God’s glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth! Amen and Amen!” (Ps 72:19). “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Ps 108:5; cf. Num 14:21; Isa 11:9). “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). It is a beautiful and thrilling opportunity we have to join the Lord in his spectacular global mission—to share his love, to help people find and praise the One their hearts, deep down, long to adore! That is no mere duty.

WHY FOUR GOSPELS?

Why is it we have four Gospels in the Bible? Why not just one complete account? And what are we to make of the differences between Matthew, Mark, Luke and John?

Richard Burridge (in Four Gospels, One Jesus? pp. 1-4) gives a helpful analogy. Imagine a tour of Sir Winston Churchill’s country home in Kent in south­east England. In the first room you notice a picture of the great states­man in conference with Roosevelt; the mood is sober, as the fate of the world rests on their shoulders. Around the corner you come to a painting done by Churchill himself showing the happy family at tea-time, undisturbed by the cares of the world. Along a corridor you notice a photo of the man at war—he rides in a camouflaged car and gives the “V” for victory salute to his loyal troops. The mood is upbeat and inspiring. Finally, you see a serene Churchill “on holiday” in 1946, relaxing in a basket chair overlooking Lac Léman in Switzerland.

“Four pictures—each with its own story evoking its own atmosphere and provoking its own response in the viewer—yet all are of one and the same man” (p. 2). Same with the Gospels. God so orchestrated his communication to the world that we’d see his Son from many angles and thus come to know him better than we would with just a single composite picture. Thank God for the differing perspectives and emphases of the Gospels, for they take us deep into fullness and wonder of the one and only Jesus Christ!

FEAR AND FAITH

How much is your life driven by fear? Fear of rejection, failure, pain, loss, or even death? Fear of losing control, fear of stepping out into the unknown, fear of being alone? Fear of not being cool?

I feel the pull of these temptations. But think how crazy it is for me, or you, to live in anxiety. If you trust Christ for the forgiveness of sin and eternal life, then God has for you a hope-filled, anti-worry life now:

If God is for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31)? He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear (Ps 27:1)? Don’t be anxious about anything, instead pray about everything (Phil 4:6). Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). Etc.!

Of course, freedom from fear doesn’t mean life is easy. It means even the hardest things cannot steal our peace and hope in Christ. Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), and he predicts believers will be persecuted (John 15:20). But even so, our hope is secure and our future with Jesus is bright (John 10:29)!

So think how crazy it is to live in fear. And, what’s more, how it dishonors the Lord, who is always with us and will never forsake us (Heb 13:5). Worry is practical atheism (think about that)! Cast all your fears on the Lord, for he cares about you (1 Pet 5:7). In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me (Ps 56:4)?

REAL FAITH

Mary and Martha live with the dissonance of honest discipleship: they love and trust Jesus, but yet they also can’t resist scolding him: the Master needs to get his act together.

Grief is heavy in the air—Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus has died, the relatives wail, the tears flow. It’s too much to bear. When the sisters learn that Jesus is finally coming to see them, a surviving shred of faith tumbles out in cries that Jesus could have healed Lazarus (John 11:21, 32)—they think this way about no one else who visits their home. It is an expression of faith, it comes from the heart, and it's true.

But they are wrong to assume that Jesus would have healed their brother if only he had not been so far away or had come sooner (4:46-54; 11:6). Yes, they believe in Jesus, but only to a point. They believe Jesus as long as he makes things go the way they like. Sudden suffering jars these genuine disciples into saying that, in effect, their Lord’s purposes are being hindered—that circumstances have overwhelmed Jesus and he’s blown it. How wrong they are. Jesus’ late arrival to see the family of Lazarus was purposeful and good (11:4, 45).

Mary and Martha illustrate a meaningful yet flawed devotion to Jesus. In this way they speak to me, to you. Our discipleship is riddled with fumbling and false assumptions, with attempts to withhold from Jesus his title of “Lord.” Still, the Master loves these imperfect sisters. Although he corrects them and implicitly rebukes them for their fair-weather faith (11:23, 25-26), he still very much loves them, feels for them (11:35), and lifts them out of their fear meltdown. We too, who are honest enough to see our own reflection in mixed up Martha and Mary, can rest in the arms of a wise and loving Lord—one who truly works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28)!

PROSPERITY AND ADVERSITY

Prosperity or adversity? Which to you prefer?

Jeremiah Burroughs spoke boldly to his 17th century audience about God’s work in the midst of our prosperity and adversity, though his claims seem strange to many in the early 21st century: prosperity is deadly dangerous, and adversity brings great gain. I’ll let him say it as he did in The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment (Puritan Paperbacks edition):

One taught in the school of Christ learns “… that God by his eternal counsels has set this as his course and way, to bring up his people in this world in an afflicted condition” (p. 115). It is folly not to expect adversity (191, cf. 1 Peter 4:12). “The great design God has in afflicting you, is to break and humble your heart…” (181), and to prompt his people to fall back in faith upon God’s covenant (80). The receptive soul affirms, “I would not have been without this affliction for anything in the world,…” for without it I would have fallen into sin (101). Without afflictions professing Christians quickly find their security in earthly comforts (123, 129), yet in Christ there is strength to support us under all our afflictions. Faith in Christ “is the great grace that is to be acted under afflictions” (63). “There is no work which God has made—the sun, moon, stars and all the world—in which so much of the glory of God appears as in a man who lives quietly in the midst of adversity” (122-23).

The flip-side of advantageous affliction is the danger of wealth. Prosperity is a immense burden for which one needs great strength (103); it is a heavy cross to bear. “Honey, we know, invites bees and wasps to it, and the sweet of prosperity invites the Devil and temptation” (104). While the humble sleep, the cares of the wealthy keep them awake (106). “The Lord conveys the plague of his curse through prosperity, as much as through any thing in the world, and therefore when the soul comes to understand this, this makes it quiet and content” (110). Even though wealth allows the godly the joy of blessing others (98), the way of prosperity is dangerous—like a narrow mountain path along the brink of disaster.

It would be hard to overstate how strange and even offensive these claims are to our comfort-seeking, greed-affirming culture. But Jesus never called us to walk the road of popular opinion. The way of the cross may have no appeal to those who love the world, but it is only through the cross that we find true life and lasting joy (Luke 9:23-24).

COMING HOME

Home. People long to come home. Of course, the adventuresome types also enjoy exploring uncharted territories—it’s exciting to see new sights and sample new cultures. But even the pioneers among us have a need to find their way home.

Home was on our minds as we stuffed our stuff in boxes and then set out for Pennsylvania this week. The process of packing and uprooting reminded us of our need for home (not to mention our propensity to become all too attached to this life’s many “necessary” things).

The deep truth behind all this is that the Lord made us with a built-in homing device—he put “eternity in our hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). And the present age is a pre-homecoming venture God has designed for us in which to learn to trust in him and spread his love.

Hebrews 11:13-16 reminds us that we are exiles and aliens on the earth—we don’t really belong here. Instead, believers seek a homeland, “a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (v 16).

Join me in praying that the enticements of this fleeting age would not captivate our hearts, but that deep down we would long to enter the fullness of joy in the perfect presence of Christ: to be truly home!