Homesick For Heaven

Happy Sabbath, friends!

I was spending time with the Lord this week prayerfully thinking about what message I should focus on. To give some context, I am currently dog sitting and have been away from home for about a week and a half. That may not seem like a long time, but growing up, I always struggled with anxiety — especially whenever I was in a new environment.

Whenever I was away from home, I would experience panic attacks, make myself sick, and struggle deeply with the unfamiliar environment around me — you can probably guess that sleepovers were never really my thing.

Now that I am older, the anxiety is not nearly as severe, but I still notice that my anxiety increases during the first few days of being away from home. My body has to adjust to the change, yet even after adjusting, there is still a part of me that aches for that familiar place I call home.

While praying about this during the week, I was driving to work when a song by Phil Wickham came on called “Homesick For Heaven.” The song left such an impression on my heart because I realized that the same homesick feeling I experience when I am away from home is similar to the longing we, as believers, should feel for Heaven.

Any place in this world may feel like home temporarily, but our true and everlasting home is with our Heavenly Father in Heaven.

I wanted to take something I have struggled with personally and allow God to use it as a message that may speak to someone else’s heart as well.

Our True Home

Our time in this world is temporary — we were placed here for a God-given purpose, but that does not mean this world is our home.

Our true home — the place we ache and long for — is Heaven.

We were created to be with our Heavenly Father in His Holy Kingdom.

Just like I am away from home to dog sit, I was given a purpose — to watch the dogs for my friends — but that does not mean the place I am staying is my forever home.

Does that make sense?

We were sent to this world for a purpose — to be witnesses and testaments of Christ’s love and law — but the world is not our forever home either.

We are simply here to fulfill the purpose God has placed on our hearts.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Philippians 3:20 (NIV)
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,”

Longing For Heaven

Living in this world was never intended to be easy.

In this life, we face turmoil, trials, tribulations, hardships, grief, anxiety, and struggles.

Although we can rest in knowing Christ is with us through every hardship, we can also hold tightly to the promise that one day all pain, suffering, and sorrow will be gone forever.

In Heaven, we will be filled with peace, joy, love, comfort, and eternal life with our Savior.

Sometimes the emptiness, anxiety, or longing we feel within ourselves is because our souls recognize that our forever home is not found here — it is found with Jesus.

And honestly, even just a glimpse of Christ’s love and presence can fill emptiness in ways this world never could.

That alone can explain why our hearts long so deeply to be reunited with our Heavenly Father in His Heavenly Kingdom.

Revelation 21:4 (NIV)
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.””

Called With Purpose

Even though we may long for our heavenly and everlasting home, we cannot forget that we were sent here for a purpose.

Every single person has a purpose.

It does not matter what you have or do not have…your status…your past mistakes or sins — what matters most is whether you choose wholeheartedly to follow Jesus Christ.

Matthew 16:24 (NIV)
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-30 (NIV)
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”

Even if you feel insignificant or unimportant, the God of the entire universe says otherwise.

You are wonderfully made and filled with purpose.

God would not have sent you into this world if He did not know you were capable of fulfilling the purpose He placed on your heart.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV)
““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.””

Psalms 139:14 (NIV)
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Our Work Is Not Finished

We may feel homesick for Heaven and long to finally be with our Heavenly Father, but we cannot forget that we still have a divine purpose to fulfill first.

There have been many moments throughout my life when things in this world felt so difficult that I simply wanted to be face to face with Jesus in Heaven.

Yet every time I turn to God through His Word, I am reminded that the work He planned in advance for me to do is not yet finished.

And the same is true for you.

If God continues to bless you with another day of life, that alone should remind you that your purpose here is not finished yet.

We are called to share the good news of Jesus Christ.

As much as we long for Heaven, we still have a mission to pursue first — one that not only helps witness to others, but also strengthens and grows our own faith in Christ as we continue toward our promised land.

Mark 16:15 (NIV)
“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Philippians 1:6 (NIV)
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Journeying Toward The Promised Land

Just like Moses and the Israelites, we too are journeying toward the Promised Land.

The Israelites were brought out of Egypt — symbolic of the world — and were led toward the land God had prepared for them.

Was the journey easy? No.

Did it test their faith and teach them more about who God is? Absolutely.

That is the same journey we are walking through today.

And just like He was with them, God is with us every step of the way.

God desires for us to be with Him in our true home — Heaven.

All we have to do is continue choosing Him day after day.

It can sometimes be easy to turn back toward the world, but God continually calls us to keep pressing forward toward the heavenly Promised Land He has prepared for His children.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Another story in Scripture that beautifully parallels this heavenly journey is the story of Abraham.

Abraham surrendered and obeyed God without fully knowing where the Lord was leading him.

Yet despite the unknown, Abraham trusted and followed God anyway.

Just like Abraham, we are called to trust our Heavenly Father and believe that where He is leading us is everlasting and good.

Hebrews 11:8-10 (NIV)
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.”

Keep Pressing Forward

I mention these stories throughout Scripture because they serve as reminders that God has placed a divine purpose within each of our hearts, and He is preparing something far greater for us beyond this world.

Just like Moses and Abraham, we are journeying toward the heavenly home our Heavenly Father is preparing for us — a city designed and built by God Himself.

We must not give up.

We must continue pressing toward our Heavenly Father and our forever home.

Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV)
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Hebrews 11:16 (NIV)
“Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

Closing Prayer

I pray over every person reading this message that they may be filled with strength, perseverance, and hope as they continue journeying toward the heavenly home Christ is preparing for His children.

Our Heavenly Father desires for you to be with Him in His Kingdom forever.

All we have to do is continue fighting the good fight with Jesus by our side.

Are you homesick for Heaven?

No matter what your answer may be, continue living out the purpose God has placed on your heart, and I believe one day we will stand face to face praising His Holy Name together.

Amen.