Home is Where the Heart Is: Finding Your Treasure

I was talking with a good friend the other day. We were having a great dinner, catching up on life, and planning vacations together. It was a wonderful evening. We shared laughter, kinship, and amazing food. But there was something else my friend brought to the table that evening and it was surprisingly something that made both of us say, “Oh my goodness!!! That’s exactly how I feel!!!”

Ever had that moment? It’s great when you can connect like that with someone.

Finally, we knew we weren’t alone. The subject was eternity: our true home. Our real life – which had nothing to do with where we were at present on earth in this world. The reality of what awaited us in heaven with Christ was so much more. I don’t know when the topic came up… whether it was sparked by the salsa, or the vacation-planning. All I know is that when my friend told me she really didn’t feel at home here and longed for heaven, I knew exactly what she was talking about.

We got excited!

We shared hearts on this matter and found that we had thoughts, emotions and spiritual stirrings that were actually identical.

And we came to this conclusion: To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD. And that’s something we earnestly look forward to.

Eternal Life

God lives in the realm of eternity, which is entirely outside of time. When I sit and ponder eternity – truly giving my conscious mind and heart to it – it has the ability to make my head hurt. The concept of eternity is one we all have trouble grasping because we are finite beings. Everything we know and deal with in life is temporal. We are limited by time. Everything we do in life – birth, death, and everything in between – is measured by time.  Everything has a beginning and end. There are seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, years and so forth. We are ever aware of the time. And although God operates within the realm of time, He’s not limited by it. Time is something He created. We are told there is a definite beginning to everything we see and know – and that there will also be a definite end as well. God has book-ended us with eternity, and it’s something we all have a hard time comprehending – because it cannot be measured.

Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovesdst me before the foundation of the world, (John 17:24, KJV).

My friend and I don’t long to die. We long to LIVE! We came to understand that we’re experiencing the yearning of His heart. We desire the fullness of our life with Christ – to be where He is. We are ready to go home at any given time. Our hearts are no longer tethered to earth, the world, and everything in it.  It has no power over us or hold upon our souls whatsoever. We are free. In fact, we found that our hearts were so grafted into heaven, that we sometimes found it very hard to genuinely want to stay here. Heaven is preferred. We could easily echo with Paul, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the LORD.” We were ready to depart whenever God would call us. It just wasn’t a big deal. To wake up in heaven? We’re okay with that. We are not afraid of death. We’re actually more concerned with how long we’re gonna have to hang around down here.

Experience the yearning of Christ’s heart.

For us life is a continuum. It’s not that we stop here and begin somewhere else. We are eternal beings, and our lives are completely knit in Christ. When reality hits and we realize that we’re stuck here for a limited time, the concept of being at home with the LORD in His kingdom and presence forever is extremely alluring. There’s really nothing here that has the power to make us say, “Oh please, can I stay just a little bit longer?! Pllleeeeeeease!!!”

No way. We were like, “Get me out of here as soon as possible.” Anytime is fine.

We’re both happy and blessed people who enjoy life. Yet we had both made an agreement with God that when He was done with us, to please kindly deliver us from this body and this world and everything in it – as soon as possible. Please don’t make us hang out down here any longer than absolutely necessary. We’ll happily say our good-byes and go.

When your heart is heaven-bound this world can sometimes seem like a prison – even in the very midst of God’s blessing and fulfillment. Because you’re continually conscious that there is more. You know there is a finish line. And you know what’s waiting for you at the end of it!

One of the greatest liberties is to be set free from the power and seduction of this world.

You may wonder if we enjoy life, our loved ones, and have aspirations worth fulfilling. Of course we do! We are women of God on a mission! We have vision! We have passion! We have purpose! We have a destiny to fulfill! We have given our whole lives to God! But no temporal thing can trump our desire to be at home with the LORD. No way. No momentary enjoyment or superficial pleasure has any power to hold us captive here – regardless of how wonderful it may be. There’s just no comparison. There’s something much better that awaits us.

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord, (2 Corinthians 5:8, KJV).

We’ve been truly liberated from the grasp of this temporal dwelling. It’s incredibly freeing. And we came to realize that this is the liberty Christ wants every true believer to experience in Him.

Citizenship in Heaven

For our conversation¹ is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, (Philippians 3:20, KJV).

There is something very precious about having a home. Home is truly where the heart is. We all long to be home. Home represents community, family, warmth, rest, love, safety, security, comfort, privacy, leisure, pleasure, and beauty. When any of these things are not present within a person’s home-life it’s hard for them to truly settle and lay down roots. It’s hard for them to say, “Yes, I’m really at home here.” When we think about it, these are the core ideals we look for in a place to call home.  Heaven is the only place where all of these virtues, and more, are fully realized and satisfied in our lives.

Don’t seek a long life. Seek a full life.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul, (1 Peter 2:9-11, KJV).

Scripture tells us that our home is in heaven. It’s not here. Therefore, anything we invest in on this side of eternity is only well spent if it’s invested in God’s kingdom. And there is nothing worth hanging around for down here if God is done. There’s just no point. I know people who say they want to live a long life, and that’s perfectly fine. Go for it. There’s nothing wrong with that. As an RN I’m surrounded with a culture that does everything in its power to thwart death. But that’s not what my friend and I are seeking. And although scripture speaks to long life as being a blessing from God – it’s not necessary if He’s truly done with you. We’re not seeking long lives. Instead we are seeking full lives. We want to complete our purpose, calling and destiny, and whatever length of time that takes is at God’s discretion.

Our point is this: LORD, don’t hold us captive here. We want to go home when You’re done. Super simple.

The Heavenward Heart

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever, (1 John 2:15-17, KJV).

Part of having a heavenward heart is the desire for a simplified life. The abundance of things begin to smother you and clutter your life. You begin to realize just how much of your life revolves around the things you own. My friend and I realized that we don’t desire to accumulate a bunch of stuff. We’re not trying to retire. We’re not into climbing the ladder as high as we can. Skip it. We want to truly live – and sometimes that means slimming down. It means packing light. It means keeping things simple. Yes, enjoy life. By all means. But the less you have to worry about, the more time you have to spend with those you love and do what God has called you to do. People are to be valued more than things. Souls are eternal. People are the only thing we get to take with us on this journey. Everything else will perish.

Know who your treasure is. Know where your treasure is.

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also, (Matthew 6:19-21, KJV).

If your heart is yearning heavenward you can rest assured it’s in the right place. No, there is nothing wrong with you. If you spend time dreaming about heaven and pining for Home then you’re experiencing what every genuine Christian should be experiencing. You’re walking that much closer to God and living in the Spirit. You’re no longer seduced by the things of this world, although you may enjoy them for a time. They have no hold on you or power over you whatsoever. If you don’t feel truly comfortable or settled here anymore, and your heart is longing for heaven, then you’re pointed in the right direction. The scales have tipped in the right direction. You’re heart is headed Home.Your treasure is in the right place.

Travel light.

You can be sincerely happy here in the world and enjoy the life God has given you. That is a wonderful blessing from God. Just remember, your treasure will only be where your heart is.

Cheers & Shalom,

¹Citizenship or community (Strong’s G4175) – Philippians 3:20

Video Credit: Building 429 “This is Not Where I Belong” Official Music Video; “Take This World and Give Me Jesus” – Standard License from YouTube.