Moving Home
by Malcolm Wood
For many months Anna and I have been waiting for the sale of our house and anticipating moving. Finally the time has come, our house has sold, we’ve chosen another and we’re on the move. With only a few days to go now before the removal van arrives at the door we’re busy sorting, discarding, donating, or burning all the stuff we no longer have a use for, or won’t have room for, in our new house (we are downsizing). All that remains, those items which we’ll have a use for and those which have particular significance to us, are being packed into boxes of all shapes and sizes.
Other preparations for our move have included things like notifying service providers such as the Council Tax office and the Post Office for redirection of mail. Those who’ve passed this way will know all that’s involved with moving house.
The verse above is a reminder that whether we face further moves here on earth or not, we all have one final move to make. However pleasant and comfortable we may feel where we are at present, earth is not our permanent home. When Jesus was leaving the earth to return to heaven He said that He was going back there to prepare an everlasting home for us (John 14:1-4).
As Jesus is preparing a home in heaven for all those who believe in Him, are we ready to go there? It doesn’t matter how young or old we are. We just don’t know when Jesus will call us to our new home in heaven.
Just as Anna and I have been sorting out, we all need to have a spiritual sort out and get rid of the baggage we so often carry. Fears, anxieties, hurts, pains, mistrust, guilt, and pride are things we carry, which we were never meant to. Jesus came and died on the cross to relieve us of carrying unnecessary loads. He wants us to bring all these things to the cross and acknowledge our need of healing. He made our healing possible through His death, and we need to ask Him to help us appropriate it for ourselves.
For months Anna and I have eagerly anticipated our move to a new home. Shouldn’t we eagerly anticipate our new heavenly home? Paul writing to the church at Colossae says this: ‘Since then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things’ (Colossians 3:1).
And Paul says this to the church at Phillipi: ‘Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Philippians 3:20).
As a Jim Reeves’ song of old puts it: ‘This world is not my home. I’m just a passing through. My treasures are all laid up, somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and I can`t feel at home in this world anymore’.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the home in heaven that You’re preparing for me. Please help me to be ready to go there whenever that may be. Amen.
Malcolm Wood and his wife Anna became part of the Ellel family as House Managers at Ellel Grange in 1990. Since then they have been involved with many aspects of the developing Ministry. From 2001 until 2015 they were Directors of Ellel Scotland where they hosted several International Schools and Operation Blairmore and helped pioneer the exciting Creative Inspiration Weeks. They have three sons.
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