Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

One of my favorite books as a kid was called Corduroy Bear. It tells the story of a small stuffed bear that had been long passed over in an old department store. One day he decided to explore what lay beyond the doors of the shop he had come to know. So he went on an adventure of discovery, seeing things he had never seen before, and in the process, he realized what he had been missing. In the end, Corduroy Bear finds himself in the possession of a little girl who brings him home with her. It’s then that the little bear says something that I think we all say in the deepest parts of our hearts when we understand the Gospel and our place within the family of God for the first time, “This must be home. I know I’ve always wanted a home!”

The search for “home” is one that all of us take on at some point in life. For some, it's a short and easy route. For others, it can be a long, arduous journey filled with difficulty, doubt, and unforeseen circumstances. Either way, the destination remains the same – a safe, fulfilling home. “Welcome Home (Family Reunion)” is a song with this truth as its central theme. Long before you ever believe it, or even if you may never truly believe it, you belong in the family of God. It’s why you were ultimately created - to be in community with the Father and to find rest for your weary, well-traveled soul. Paul describes this beautifully in his greeting to the church in Ephesus:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which He lavishes on us,” Ephesians 1:3-8 (ESV)

The world we live in can make us believe that the outcome of our life has already been determined for us based on how we were raised, the color of our skin, the money we have in the bank, or the job we go to day after day, but God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5). When we’re with Jesus, we’re welcome home.

Have you made it? Are you home? What's keeping you from taking the journey or helping someone else to take it themselves? I promise you that when you find “home” you won’t be able to keep from saying, “This must be home. I know I’ve always wanted a home!”

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Listen to "Welcome Home (Family Reunion)" by Venture Worship on Spotify!
• Think back to a time when you felt like you truly belonged. What factors contributed to feeling that way?
  
• When you think of the family of God, what comes to mind?
  
• Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for making a way for me to be invited into Your family. I know that invitation came at the cost of Jesus’ life. Your love for me and plan for my life led me on the journey that brought me straight to You! Praise You! In Jesus’ name. Amen.