Driving Home In The Rain

             As I was walking out of the church building after services last Wednesday night, it started to drizzle.  And, in the thirty yards from the front door to my car door, it was pouring down torrential rain.  So, I got in the car, buckled myself in, started the car up, and took off for home.  I have to admit, I was eager to get home.  Not only had I been at the building all day, but my little boy was home sick with a cold and I really wanted to see him.  I was also thinking about how we were going to leave for Kentucky the next day and all the things I would have to do to get ready for that.  Well, by the time I got to the end of the church’s driveway, my windshield wipers going at top speed, making a ridiculous racket; huge droplets of rain were pummeling my car, sounding like a thrash drummer was performing on the roof of my car.  Now, I hate driving in the rain; it makes me nervous.  So, I turned on the stereo to make some of the noise enjoyable.  This, of course, was the moment that the phone rang.  And, while I was talking to the person on the other end of the line, over all of the commotion, I heard my stomach growl.  I got about a mile down the road when I just said, “This is ridiculous.”  So, I told the person on the phone that I had to go, I turned off the stereo and, despite all the other noises, I put all other thoughts out of my head and concentrated on getting home.  And, about twenty minutes later, as the rain was stopping, I pulled into my driveway.

            Now, why did I tell you all of that?  It wasn’t to fill space or to tell a somewhat amusing story.  Rather, it was to illustrate a very important point.

            While we all have physical homes here on earth, where we long to be at the end of the day, there is a greater Home awaiting us at the end of the day of our lives.  That Home is Heaven.  When Jesus ascended back into Heaven, He fulfilled His promise to His disciples to prepare a place for them in His Father’s House (John 14:2).  This is what God Himself has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:7-9).  This is the true Home of all who have called on His name with thanksgiving and who have become His saints through faith-filled baptism (Acts 2; Philippians 3:20-21).  This Home is a place of beauty and of peace (Revelation 21-22).  And, while our earthly homes age and decay, our heavenly Home never will (2 Corinthians 5:1).  This is the Home we desire (Hebrews 11:16).  This is the Home we seek (Hebrews 13:14) and faithfully march towards every day (Philippians 3:12-16).

            And, while this is the case, on our way Home, there are many distractions.  We can be distracted by a number of things like what’s going on in the political world or the weather or what’s happening in the wild world of sports.  We can be distracted by our failing health or the failing health of a loved one.  We most certainly can be distracted by financial issues.  Really, anything can be a distraction, making it more difficult for us to get Home safely.

            Well, when we are faced with distractions, what should we do?  First, we need to realize that things are distracting us (Mark 4:18-19).  Second, we need to refocus on our goal, Heaven (Hebrews 11:9-10, 14-16).  And, third, we need to get rid of every distraction that we can (Hebrews 12:1-2).  I understand that it is simple to say for us to do these things, but going Home really will be easier if we do these things.  So, let us walk the narrow way Home, joyfully encouraging one another to do these things as we go.

~Curtis Carwile