Monday, July 14, 2003

The crew of the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln" had been away from home a long time - deployed at sea for over nine months - the longest deployment of its kind since the Second World War. In January of 2003 they were scheduled to be headed back home after service in Afghanistan. Didn't happen. They were ordered to turn around and head for Iraq. But now - with the major hostilities over in Iraq - finally, in May, they were headed home. The day before they docked in San Diego, where many would have their reunions, President Bush landed on the deck of the "Lincoln" where he later addressed a cheering throng of crewmembers. As he thanked America's military for their sacrifice and service and applauded their victorious efforts, the President received thunderous applause and even standing ovations. But the response was never louder, never more enthusiastic than when he said three little words: "You're homeward bound."

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Gone So Long, But Home At Last."

You know, there is something uniquely powerful about that word "home." The airmen and sailors aboard the "Lincoln" could hardly think of anything else as they neared port. College students count the days before a break when they can be "home." Travelers like me do everything possible to get "home" as soon as we can.

And deep down inside the soul of each of us is a longing for home that is hard to explain and even harder to satisfy. There's this spiritual homesickness - you can call it restlessness or incompleteness or just the absence of inner peace. Some who feel like they've never had a home think that they would have peace if they could find a home. But then those who've had a fair amount of love and acceptance are strangely homesick in their soul, too.

Thankfully, the Bible reveals to us seekers where our heart's home really is. God says in Colossians 1:16 that we were all "created by Him and for Him." A love relationship with our Creator is Ultimate Home. Problem: the Bible goes on to say that "we all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way" (Isaiah 53:6 ). There's the problem. You and I were created to live for the One who made us, and we've chosen to live for ourselves instead. Which has left us - again in the words of the Bible - "without God and without hope in this world" (Ephesians 2:12 ).

We're hopelessly away from the One who is our Home. So there's never enough love, never enough answers, and never enough security. But God wants you back. He paid the ultimate price to make a way for you to come home. In our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Peter 3:18 , He says, "Christ died for our sins - the righteous for the unrighteous (that's Him for us) - to bring us safely home to God." Jesus left His home in heaven to come here to die for every wrong and selfish and hurting thing we've ever done, so He could forgive you and give you the relationship you were made for, that you've been looking for so long.

But Jesus doesn't force His way into your life. You have to reach out and hold onto Him like He's your only hope - because He is. This very day, you can tell Him, "Jesus, You died for me and now you're alive again - and I'm Yours." If you want to begin this relationship that begins life as it was created to be, then I want to send you my booklet about it called "Yours For Life." Just let me know that you want it.

You've been gone a long time. But Jesus right now is standing at the door, waiting to welcome you into the love that you were made for. Today, finally after a long, long search, you can be home at last.