I Choose ... HOME

HOME. What does that word mean to you? Does it mean the roof over your head? Or the place where your heart is? For me, my home is my two-bedroom apartment that I share with my loving husband and our three little fur babies (One who likes to eat and nap and that’s it, one who likes to chase sunspots and hold your hand while she sleeps, one who loves to defy me and run around the house making weird noises, and one who likes to knock my puzzles off the table and skitter sideways for no apparent reason. Good luck figuring out which is my husband.) But on the flip side, “HOME” is what I press on my contacts’ list when I want to call my mama on the landline. So, which is the real home?

Recently in my quiet time, God has been drawing me to the verse that speaks of ABIDING in His love. At first glance, I skimmed the line and continued. But I was captivated by that one phrase and haven’t been able to get it out of my mind and heart. While the ESV Bible states “ABIDE in my love,” The Message version rephrases it to say, “Make your HOME in my love.”

What does it mean to make your HOME in God’s love? Does it mean just knowing that your true home is in HEAVEN? Or is it deeper than that? I asked God that very question, and His answer was so much more. Making a HOME in His love means staying close to Him at all times, always returning to Him when you’ve strayed away, being comfortable in His presence, and resting in His care.

The world is a hectic, unstable place to live. Rarely is our earthly home perfect. We have messy houses, cranky kids, moody spouses, and a negative mindset. But His love is steadfast, calm, joyful, patient, kind, holy, and a breath of fresh air. Make your HOME there in the stable environment of His love.

God is still unveiling the mystery of ABIDING in Him, so I ask that as you dwell on this verse and the idea behind it, leave me a note letting me know what YOU think it means to ABIDE in His love. We often think of going HOME to Jesus when our life on earth is over, but what does it mean to go HOME to Him while we’re still here?

“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my Love” – John 15:9 (ESV)

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love.” – John 15:9 (MSG)