"Home"

They say home is where the heart is,

And I guess that it’s true,

My mind is filled with memories,

Like a magnet pulls me, too.

Way out in the country,

A cowboy way of life,

Fed me peas and cornbread,

Held my Daddy’s pocket knife.

He always asked to see mine,

And every single time,

Said that I should sharpen it,

And make it keen and fine.

Said gather in those cattle,

And do not bring ‘em slow,

We’ve got to get the job done,

And where they’re s’posed to go.

The drivers knew my bedroom,

And sometimes late at night,

They’d tap outside my window,

To get cattle loaded right.

I remember Dad’s big garden,

Hot hours labored there,

That’s why I don’t grow veggies,

Still feel the pain I swear.

Horses that we worked on,

Bonded with and rode,

Corky, Pete and Dizzy,

The cowboy way they showed.

But the main thing ‘bout the memories,

Were the people and my kin,

Dad, Mom, brother, sister,

And all the cowboys then.

 And that’s the very reason,

I’m writing down this verse,

If you’re from home and family,

And could not feel much worse.

Just listen to your heartbeat,

And know the ones you love,

You carry always with you,

As sure as stars above.

And when you’re with the one you love,

It’s them and not a place,

Home is what they give you,

When you look into their face.

And when we speak of heaven,

It’s not the streets of gold,

That make it worth the trouble,

Truth is you’ve been told,

That it’s all about who’s waiting,

To be with you it’s true,

Your home is there with Jesus,

When all of life is through.

“So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends with God…” (Rom. 5:11, NLT)

Being friends with God sounds like a great idea until we realize that friendship with God comes on His terms, not ours. Many want a God who is the kind of friend who shows up to bail us out when we have an emergency, but is pretty much ignored the rest of the time. The friendship God offers through His Son, Jesus Christ, requires us to turn from selfishness and surrender our lives entirely. Then we are invited into an intimate friendship which is powerful in its depth and scope. In fact the very purpose for beginning the friendship is so that it will last forever in heaven. Some things we will never fully understand. But one thing is certain, heaven is filled with the friends of God. Be there.

Lord, make us Your eternal friends, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Don Weller, donweller.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Don, and God bless you.