“Live . . as temporary residents on earth.” 1 Peter 1:17 God’s Word Translation
“A heart always finds its way home.”
My thoughts today are about “unfinished business.”
You know that feeling when you have been away from home a bit longer than you wish.
The trip was reinvigorating, the time away refreshing and renewing, and the visit was enjoyable, yet there came a time when your thoughts and heart turned toward home. For the follower of Jesus this world never quite feels like home, nor should it. Don’t misunderstand me, we’re happy to be here, and we do a lot of things to make ourselves useful and as comfortable as possible while we are here, but inside you can feel like there should be something more.
You may have heard it said, “Home is where the heart is.” I believe that is true. A heart always finds its way home. Jesus promised there is such a place where the heart will feel at home; it’s just that this world is not that place. Jesus warmly described that place as “My Father’s house.” See John 14:1-6 NKJV. His Father’s house was a place He knew well and missed much.
Instinctively, deep in your heart, you know Jesus has accomplished what He promised, “I go (to My Father) to prepare a place for you, that where I am you may be also.” You can’t be fully happy until your heart is at rest in Christ, and you are finally home in the place He prepares for you.
The Bible describes your inner longing for home this way, “God has set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV. You and I have unfinished business here. This life will always feel a little incomplete, even unfinished. Joseph, son of Jacob, understood that he had unfinished business; God’s promises and purposes extended beyond his lifetime. Read Genesis 50:25/Exodus 13:18-19. God’s plans are bigger for your life than He can fit into your lifetime.
Your heart quietly whispers that to you every time you look for somewhere, something, or someone to complete you. There isn’t a place like that; there isn’t an experience that can achieve that; there isn’t a relationship that can provide that. Some dreams will stay unfulfilled in these brief years. Some prayers will still be unanswered in your lifetime. Relationships will remain imperfect while you live as an imperfect person in a very imperfect world. The best of all that’s in your heart still awaits you at home; in this world, a lot of that is just unfinished business.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “I say with tears in my eyes that there are many whose conduct shows . . all they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of Heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. He will take these weak mortal bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same mighty power that He will use to conquer everything, everywhere.” Philippians 3:18-21 NLT. Read 1 Corinthians 10:23 NIV.
It is a mistake to become too settled, satisfied, or attached to these brief years. So much of this is temporary; too much of it is trivial. The Bible advises, “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.”1 Corinthians 7:31 NLT. Live without becoming too attached here; you’re not home yet!
My prayer for you today is: may your attachments be to things of eternal value.