I used to think it was only the very rich who have two homes; now I realize we all do.
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9)
Sure, Paul. I got this. No problem … What?
I always thought this passage of scripture was strangely reminiscent of Richard Nixon, who would say, “Now let me make myself perfectly clear …” and you knew that was going to be followed up by something completely unclear.
What I think Paul’s saying is that we have two realities when it comes to being home and both are valid. It’s a case of two homes where one home makes the other one worthy. At the same time it is a paradox. God wants us to be comfortable long enough to make us uncomfortable. God wants this to be home so we can find out about another home. This home is important; that home is important. Jesus left one to come to the other, placing meaning on both.
I like to pride myself in being a handyman when I’m really not. I’m a handyman in my head only. So when Marti points out something that needs to be fixed like the light switch in the kitchen that no longer works, or the lights in the garden that aren’t getting any power, or the sprinklers that don’t spray where they should, or the hillside behind the garage that is eroding, or the tree next to it that needs to come down because it’s really just a giant weed … I always think in my head, “No problem; I can do that,” and then nothing gets done because I can’t. That’s when I have a tendency to devalue this home as being less important because it’s temporary. Not so.
There is Jerusalem, and there is a new Jerusalem, and Jesus cares deeply about them both. He wept over one; He’s coming to establish the other. There is this home – my address on earth – and there is my home in heaven, and Jesus cares deeply about them both. This one is made to welcome home those who will find, in our gospel of welcome, a home forever.
So I’ll fix what’s broken and get help with what I can’t, because this is my home, and I want everyone who comes here to feel welcome. After all, it’s more than just a home, it’s a doorway to another one.
John Fischer The Catch 
Amen Pastor John, I do luv my current home-even thou, i am looking very much forward to building my Biz larger, so i can afford another earthy home (where i’ll not be a great handyman either ’cause of my disabilities) yet there are times when my heart ‘burns’, or jus plainly aches to be w/ my Lord & Savoir and see my Heavely home that’s not built w/ things that can coruput (sp) and decay…
PS while driving my scooter up to the hospital to get my blood taken 4 a few test my Doc wanted – a car hit me. I’m Ok, my scooter is damaged… Plz pray 4 Sue the very nice and kind lady that was driving the car that hit me – she was pretty up-set, and so was i for the frist copule of mintues. Until i seen her starting to crying pretty hard saying how sorry she was to me and this other woman that had seen her run into me. So she called the cops – she, Sue kept of saying I’m so sorry, i didn’t see you… I cannot believe it i ran into a hanicapped guy! When she started to cry out-loud, my heart melted in an instant and I was no-longer angry 4 being hit – so I walked over to her and began to hug her, she must have cried a gallon of tears on my shoulder and told me about jus yesterday she had to go to a co-worker’s Funeral (he killed himself) I told her it’s called an ‘acceident’ for a very good reason and i was sure if she had seen me she surely wouldn’t have drove into me and my scooter, which caused her to smile and thank me for being so very understanding (i wanted to say, but didn’t it’s not me yet the ‘magic’ God’s Holy Spirit easly provides) i jus smiled back @ her saying it going to be Ok. So the Policeman came and wrote it up. I still went up to ther hospital 4 the blood test, yet by time I had made it back home (which is about 3.5 miles away from where I live) my scooter started making a lot of noise- it my only means of trasportation and greatly helps to give me a good sense of independance, so plz whisper some prayers 4 Sue and my scooter too, Ok – and Thank & praises to God, I’m fine… 🙂
Greetings, John:):)
Just beginning a reflective journey with Joyce Rupp’s Open The Door, A Journey to the True Self. I’m early in the reading, in week 1 still, and haven’t yet been able to answer the question, “What does the door of your heart look like?” Much easier to answer, “How has God been a door for you?” I confess I’m more interested in the door metaphor and all it means to be one, to walk through one, to see what awaits on the other side, to knock – and knock again, to the door changing its appearance, the framework that steadies the door – and much more – than I am in the “self” part. Time will reveal where the journey is headed. Prob’ly change my interest, too, as needed.
“Jesus left one [home] to get to the other,” you write. Since he IS the Door, I can’t help but wonder what he looks like. What is the “through” part? How will I greet him? How will I thank him for inviting me in? What about the fragrance surrounding this Door? We know there’s a welcoming feast on the other side, that we will be at home there – for all of eternity. I don’t know that there’s a place like that here on earth, where I might feel at home forever and ever. But the sights and sounds and doors in Jerusalem have captured my heart:):)
Your writing today invites me anew to establish the door to my home as a passage to the One Door that matters in the end. The Door of all doors:):) True home:):)