by Jefferson David Tant<\/p>\n
Have you ever been gone from home on a long journey? Often there comes a time when you long for home. My wife, Flora, and I have been on many journeys through the years in taking the Good News about Jesus Christ to nations far and near. And there are moments when there is a longing in our hearts, a longing for home. And now that we are in our ninth decade of life, there is a yearning for a home far away. Oh, we have always wanted to go to heaven, and hopefully have lived in such a way that the door will be open for us when we cross the divide. But as the day of our departure draws nearer, that longing becomes more real.<\/p>\n
At this particular time in our nation’s history, with the madness and turmoil that is in the news day after day, that certainly has the effect of creating within the hearts of many a longing for home, a home far away from violence and mayhem, that God has prepared. The writer of Hebrews named various ones who have gone before us, and wrote that …<\/p>\n
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them<\/em>” (Hebrews 11:13-16).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Won’t it be wonderful to come face to face with Jesus, the very one who endured a cruel death to make it possible for us to be in heaven? And to talk with Abraham and Sarah, and Esther, Paul, John, Ruth, Mary, and countless others who have gone before us. I am thankful that for my wife and myself, we have the hope of seeing our beloved parents, the very ones who taught us how to live so that we might come to that place that John Clements described in the song “No Night There.” “In the land of fadeless day, Lies the city foursquare. It shall never pass away, And there is no night there. God shall wipe away all tears; There’s no death, no pain, nor fears; And they count not time by years, For there is no night there.”<\/p>\n
And in the words of another familiar song, Robert Arnold wrote: “No tears in heaven, no sorrows given, All will be glory in that land;…There’ll be no sadness, all will be gladness, When we shall join that happy band…”<\/p>\n
Dear Reader, for what do you live? Do you live only for today, or do you live for the future? Please understand that the day of our departure will come. Death comes to the young and the old alike. We know neither the day nor the hour, nor by reason of accident, disease, or age. But it will come. If you are not ready, please make ready, even today. Your most treasured possession, your eternal soul, is at stake.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Jefferson David Tant Have you ever been gone from home on a long journey? Often there comes a time when you long for home. My wife, Flora, and I have been on many journeys through the years in taking the Good News about Jesus Christ to nations far and near. And there are moments…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[109,46],"class_list":["post-32204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-death","tag-heaven"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7211,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/angel-band\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":0},"title":"Angel Band","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 8, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: II Peter 1:12-15 My latest sun is sinking fast, My race is nearly run; My strongest trials now are past, My triumph is begun. I know I\u2019m near the holy ranks Of friends and kindred dear\u2014 I hear the waves on Jordan\u2019s banks, The crossing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":50914,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/christians-and-the-arts\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":1},"title":"Christians and the Arts","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Worldviews and faith are expressed in many ways. We express them in the way that we work through our jobs, the way that we show ourselves as neighbors, and even in the way that we recreate. We are not afraid to show that we \"serve the Lord\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/luke-12-35-38-reflection-jan-kruseman-242x300.webp?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":59910,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/surviving-the-financial-crisis\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":2},"title":"Surviving the Financial Crisis","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 14, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kent Heaton A financial crisis occurs when the crisis of a man's soul is dependent upon the financial condition of his heart. Samuel Johnson said, \"The love of money has been in all ages, one of the passions that have given great disturbances to the tranquility of the world\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/03\/money.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":48784,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pining-for-the-past\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":3},"title":"Pining for the Past","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 7, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Numbers 13:32-14:4 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0People are known for their selective memories \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some wrap themselves up in the horrors of their youth, blaming every misfortune on what had happened to them in the past. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0More common though are the people who remember the good things that happen\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44570,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-husband-is-changing-but-it-seems-he-is-getting-away-with-his-sins\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":4},"title":"My husband is changing, but it seems he is getting away with his sins","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a complicated question. My husband is a preacher. I cannot possibly tell you our life stories, but suffice it to say that we did not have normal upbringings and both became Christians when we were young adults. The first several years of our marriage were filled with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":30602,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-only-eternal-kingdom\/","url_meta":{"origin":32204,"position":5},"title":"The Only Eternal Kingdom","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 15, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer There is only one kingdom that is eternal. Only one that stretches across time, physical boundaries, nations, tongues, and earthly rulers. Only one that is not dependent in any way upon kingdoms of the world. 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