Christmas at home

Almost everyone wants to be at home for Christmas. You can also probably remember at least two songs about this holiday at home. Right now I'm humming such a song to myself.

What makes the two terms, home and Christmas, almost inseparable? Both words evoke feelings of warmth, security, comfort, good food, and love. Also scents, such as biscuit baking, roasting in the oven, candles and fir branches. It almost seems as if one cannot be done without the other. Being away from home for Christmas makes many people sad and nostalgic at the same time.

We have longings, desires and needs that no human can ever meet. But so many seek fulfillment elsewhere before turning to God - if they ever do. The longing for a home and the good things we associate with it is really a longing for the presence of God in our lives. There is a certain emptiness in the human heart that only God can fill. Christmas is the time of year when people seem to yearn for it the most.

Christmas and being at home go hand in hand because Christmas symbolizes the coming of God to earth. He came to us on this earth to be one of us so that we could eventually share our house with him. God is at home - he is warm-hearted, loving, nourishes and protects us, and he also smells good, like fresh rain or a pleasantly scented rose. All of the wonderful feelings and good things about home are closely related to God. He is home.
He wants to build his house within us. He lives in the heart of every believer, so he is at home within us. Jesus said that he would go to prepare a place for us, a home. «Jesus answered and said to him, Whoever loves me will keep my word; and my father will love him, and we will come to him and lodge with him »(John 14,23).

We build our home in him too. "In that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you" (John 14,20).

But what about when thoughts of home do not evoke warm, comforting feelings in us? Some do not have happy memories of their home. Family members can let us down or they can get sick and die. Then God and being at home must become even more identical with him. Just as he can be mother, father, sister or brother to us, he can also be our home. Jesus loves, nourishes and comforts us. He is the only one who can fulfill every deep longing of our heart. Instead of just celebrating this holiday season in your house or apartment, take some time to come home to God. Acknowledge the real longing in your heart, in your desire and need for God. All the best from home and from Christmas are in him, with him and through him. Make a home in him for Christmas and come home to him.

by Tammy Tkach