Tag: Satisfy

Even at Home We are Homesick

I had this realization this morning as I studied that it is this homesickness that keeps me down. Not that I am down all the time, but when I am, it is the longing for it all to just resolve as if I was finally able to relax at home.

Isn’t it so that we spend so much of our energy and resources chasing something to satisfy us. Whether it is a new whatever, or an escape to wherever. The thing we should ask is when are we the most satisfied? When we are at home. Without a worry or a care. Even if only for a few minutes or hours or a couple of days, we are relaxed and comfortable.

I remember, and likely have written about it, going camping with a friend and his family for a few days. This guy, although a wonderful Christian man, was the workaholic, always on the go. Yes, he and the family would vacation or he would go hunting, but never for more than a weekend. On this occasion, he and the family were away for 3 nights and 4 days with us. On the final night, as we were sitting around the campfire the conversation steered to him and to all of our amazement, he was completely sacked out in the lawn chair. We let him sleep and the next morning he thanked us for the feeling of relaxation. He felt at home.

Isn’t this the feeling that we all long for. Not a worry in the world and the chance to relax and be at home. Aren’t we all looking for that chance to just sack out without a worry in the world. I am here to say that we have that available to us now and should be taking advantage of the experience at all times.

“14Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter of Jerusalem!

15The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;

he has cleared away your enemies.

The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;

you shall never again fear evil.”

— Zephaniah 3:14-15 (ESV)

We are longing for satisfaction. We seek it everywhere. Yet we forget that it is within our grasp at all times. It is okay to be homesick for that place where everything will be glorious. Our eternal home, the New Earth with Heaven at the center. No, are are not there, yet. But we can and should be looking forward to it as Zephaniah indicates. We should “Sing aloud”. We should celebrate that “The LORD has taken away the judgments”. We should hold on to the fact that those times of rest and relaxation and comfort are just on the horizon and that it is okay to be homesick for our eternal home.

What are you longing? Are you looking to satisfy your homesickness even though you are in your earthly home? What if you accepted that it is okay to be homesick for the life you know will be glorious in Heaven and the New Earth?

Satisfy the Desire of Others

Yes, as we know through our study of God’s Word, we are to serve others. Part of that serving is to satisfy the desire of others.

“9Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;

you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

If you take away the yoke from your midst,

the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

10if you pour yourself out for the hungry

and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,

then shall your light rise in the darkness

and your gloom be as the noonday.”

— Isaiah 58:9-10 (ESV)

Here is the how. We are to satisfy the desire, not just of others, but for those who are having a difficult time. My role is to guide them, care for them, provide for them, and ensure that they are in a position to see the LORD and be less concerned with that which is weighing on them at that time.

Yes, we are to serve all and do the work of the LORD for all. Yet it will be those in the difficult positions that will recognize the service to them and will benefit from the service in the moment. We are not to do it to be seen, but simply for the betterment of the one in need.

But, you say, what about me? I know just what you are thinking as I think the same thing. I am having a difficult time and when/where will my desire be satisfied? That is the best part. When we are doing the work of the LORD, the difficulties will still be there, yet we will also have the LORD and our community on our side to help out. When I have served others, selfishly, they will serve me the same way.

I recently have been looking as to what is next for me. Now I am not looking to abandon what I am doing, just looking for something that I can add that I can use to do more. Lori and I are on our own again and there is time available to take on more. I have been praying for it. I feel some challenge and am looking for God’s guidance. As mentioned before, we are members of a church plant and as such Lori and I volunteer our time to make it work. Even as we have a scheduled time and work to do, we jump in when there is a need and help out. As we have, God allowed us to be seen helping and led one of our pastors to invite me to a discipleship group. This invitation led to my next thing.

When we are giving selfishly to satisfy the desire of those in need, in return we will be made whole at some point. Our role is to satisfy others and the LORD will work to satisfy us.

What are you doing to satisfy others? Are you doing so to get something out of it? What if you just did the work of the LORD and assisted those in need, knowing that God will satisfy your needs in due time?