Home

So today I'm doing study at my desk and it's getting to the weekend which is the part of week I seem to dread the most and I was feeling like I was missing home. 
All my housemates are away this weekend so that means I get the house all to myself, something I thought I enjoyed, turns out the prospect makes me less than happy. But it made me think, what and where is home? and why do we long to be a 'home' so much?

It's a totally human desire isn't it? We all long for home. I mean when you're somewhere new, you make it homely, we talk about Home being where the heart is, do you feel at home at the moment? Where you are? Would you call that home? Where is home for you? Maybe you've never known home? What and where is home? Maybe you know exactly where home is and your there at the very moment, or haven't been there for a while?

You see when I was thinking about this, home seems to a lot of different places; Home is back with my family in Basingstoke; with my parents where my dog is and I can relax with them, Home is at the Kirsch's house, dear friends who took my under their wings, fed and loved me, Home is in Oxford with my friends and family at St. Aldates church where I have been looked after and nurtured for the last three years of my life, Home is 102 Percy Street, Oxford where I lived with some of my dearest friends, could walk and have tea with friends over the road and go for river side walks when I so desired, Home is here in Cardiff where I am now living and trying my best to get integrated with, Home is in the arms of my Father God where I fear nothing and no one because there, with Him, I am safe and secure and nothing can do anything to me because I'm wrapped up in love and light. 
What and Where is home because it seems to be all over the place?

Moving to a new city, with new people, a new church, a new job and way of life has made me question what I put my security in. See home is a lot to do with security, where I feel safe, looked after, safe, where I can recoup, shut myself away if necessary or dance round the room to music, be silly and know it's ok or be serious and know I can discuss my heart.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: 
'Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.'
or
William Faulkner said 

“How often have I lain beneath rain on a strange roof, thinking of home.” 
and
George Augustus Moore states

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it."



Home seems to be somewhere that our heart is, which we long for, think of, a place where we find what we need. Well my heart is all over the place, Basingstoke, Oxford, Cardiff, South Africa (with my family), London (my grandad), Hove (my Cousins), Heaven (Father God and Jesus), in fact, where-ever those whom I care deeply for, my heart is.
And what about somewhere I think of often? Long for? Well I long for warm fires with my doggy, a cup of tea and my families company, I love for Sundays with my Aldates family, I long to sit with Jesus and nothing be between me and Him, for there to be easy communication, I long for no distractions, I long for, well... Heaven where there will be no more tears and hurt anymore, I won't feel pressure or fear but I will be at complete peace, ahh peace, safe and sound and at peace.
 And what about somewhere where my needs are met? Well in Oxford my friends are there, I laugh, have deep conversations, chat about my faith, am challenged and encouraged, however I've never known all my needs met except in when I stand in worship with God, singing to Him, His presence so close and His face the only one in view, my hearts aches met by His blinding love. Heaven.

So readers, What does that seem to say to you? What is the constant? What is the place that keeps coming up? That would seem to be Home? The place I lay under the rain and think of? The place that although I've never physically been, my heart aches for? The place where I heart is? 

C.S. Lewis says

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
Was I? Was I made for another world? Another place? Another creation? Another reality? Another heart? Home...My heart, my needs and my longings seem to point towards another.

Jesus said 

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”*

At the moment, I am in a new City, I'm missing my friends in Oxford, my family in Basingstoke but whether in Cardiff, Oxford or Basingstoke, my hearts longing for home tells me there is more, another place, another reality, where my heart will long no more, my needs will be met and I will be home. I know this because your heart can't long for something it's never known and I find in myself a desire that nothing on the earth can satisfy which pushes me further towards God and His arms. Glorious discomfort because I know Jesus has prepared a room for me and He will come and bring me home and oh, how I long for that day.

Home is where the heart is, the needs are met and the longing is satisfied. Home is in heaven with God; Father, Son and Holy spirit, surrounded by all His people, who themselves have also come home. Eeee, it is going to be so good!

Cardiff will do for now, Oxford was incredible for a season, Basingstoke loved and nurtured me and many other places, people, houses and cities with love and nurture me but heaven, oh heaven, how I long for thee. 

*John 14v1-4