This world is not my home

When I was a kid, my home church had a Sunday night service. As a pastor’s kid, I would go every week. These nights were much more relaxed than Sunday mornings. People in the audience could suggest songs we sing. I remember one time, we filled out Christian surveys that we had filled out like 5 years previous. There was a funny moment when one church member said 5 years ago that we has baptized when he was 14, and this time he said he was baptized when he was 13.

But a time that really stands out in my mind, I don’t know why, but I was sitting on the “other” side of the church. I typically sat on the left, but this time I was on the right. And Dad was taking song requests. Being 5 years old, I kept holding up my hand offering song number 5 as a suggestion. I didn’t really know what song number 5 was, but I wanted it played – because, hello, I was five! We matched. Now I always associate “This World Is Not My Home” with the number 5, since that’s the song I requested that night.

This world is not my home
I’m just passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue

The Angels beckon me
From heaven’s open door
And I can’t feel at home
In this world anymore

But I’ve been thinking about that song lately and I’m starting to find many other songs and movies that have the same feel. “Go the Distance” from Hercules came on my Disney radio station the other day and I was hit with how perfectly desperate it is – longing for a greater story.

I have often dreamed
Of a far off place
Where a great warm welcome
Will be waiting for me

Where the crowds will cheer
When they see my face
And a voice keeps saying
“This is where I’m meant to be.”

But that’s just it. We’re not a part of this world. Not really. We are made for greatness. We’re made as a part of an epic story. We have a great future where our Father is waiting for us to come home, so he can kill the fattened calf and put on a party and rejoice that we’re finally home with him! So we can sit on his porch and tell stories and drink hot chocolate while we look at Beauty. Because we’re children! of God! WAHH!!

Your heart longs for more, because it was made for more. Don’t give up, go after it!