Where You Were

I was blessed with a two parent family. It was a good home where my parents did what they loved. Dad loved solving puzzles, so he used that gift to catch murderers as a homicide detective. Mom loved to dance, so she used that heart's desire to teach dance for many years. We always had food to eat, a place to live, and even enjoyed some of the amenities in life. We worked for it.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! (Luke 15:17 NIV)

My parents loved God, loved each other, and loved me. We always knew that God was first. We would go to mass every weekend, even when we were on vacation. I remember my dad asking a hotel clerk where the nearest Catholic Church was and how he could find out times for mass. I knew we would be there.

God said to him, "Your name is Jacob, but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel." So he named him Israel. And God said to him, "I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you." (Genesis 35:10-12 NIV)

A sudden awakening starts with the reminder of how good it is to be "home." When we are living at home with the Father, life really is better. The younger son realized that the lowest servant in his father's household had plenty of food. The Israelites in the desert were reminded that the promised land was flowing with milk and honey (the better things in life), rather than eating food off the desert floor. In both cases, things really were better when they were back home with the Father.




How about you? Do you remember where you were when you last lived at home with the Father? What was it like? Does it begin an awakening in you?