Have you settled in?

Physical surroundings really impact me. Whether it’s my office space, the backyard, or the coffee shop around the corner, my mood is acutely affected by my environment.

Don’t get me wrong, everything does not need to be neat and tidy all the time for me to be happy; but feeling ‘settled’ in an environment seems to declutter my heart and mind. Having done a fair share of moving through the years, there’s nothing like a few moving boxes and bubble wrap that quickly clutters my mental space. It’s as if the environment is constantly reminding me that I am not ‘at home’ yet.

The interesting conundrum about the Christian life is that it is a paradox of feeling ‘at home’ and ‘on the move.’ The early disciples had to manage this tension well. They were constantly settling into a space only to be sent out by God to a new place. Saul and Barnabus, for example, were given a home with disciples at Antioch (Acts 11), and that home came in the form of a community centered around prayer, encouragement, and mutual commitment to the gospel. After some time, however, their mission took them away from the safety of that home and ‘on the move’ to preach the gospel in more towns and villages.

If I am being honest, it’s the ‘being sent’ aspect of Jesus’ calling that terrifies me. I like the comfort and safety of my home. I like to feel settled in my spaces and in my relationships. But, when I look at how Jesus lived and how the disciples followed Him, a ‘comfortable home’ wasn’t the end goal. They were constantly ‘on the move’. ‘Home’ became a stop but not an ultimate destination, at least not the way we think of home.

Home for them came through the power of the Holy Spirit uniting them to their Heavenly Father, their personal Savior, and a community of other believers. ‘Home’ came in the form of tifs about who’s the greatest (Mk. 9:33). ‘Home’ came in the form of questions like ‘do you love me?’ (Jn. 21:15) and ‘are you going to leave me, too?’ (Jn. 6:67) ‘Home’ in the form of a father running to his son (Lk. 15:20) and a conversation with a Samaritan woman (Jn. 4).

Deep down, I think we all long for a place called home, but it comes in the form of a person. A person who sees when we sin again and still forgives us. A person who offers healing when we have been betrayed. A person who understands when we feel misunderstood. A person who came close to us when we tried to keep a distance.

Jesus is the home we truly long for. He is the home we are seeking. So, no matter if your physical space feels settled and your heart and mind feel cluttered; no matter if you’re sitting amid moving boxes and bubble wrap; no matter if you’re surrounded by friends and family or feeling a bit lonely, you have a home with Him. Have you settled in?

- Rachel