When I was a young woman, I imagined my life would include a husband, two or three girls, a suburban home, and a white picket fence. When I married my husband, I amended that to having a pastor as a husband, a couple girls, and a series of parsonages throughout our lifetime. By the time our second son was born, I knew I wouldn’t have the girls or the series of parsonages. We had already lived in eight homes and none of them were the traditional parsonage.
During our marriage, we have lived in a total of 21 homes on three continents. Our pastoring expanded from one small congregation to serving in many churches. We’ve stayed in many homes, hotels, and guesthouses.
For a long time we moved about every two years. That was good because we didn’t accumulate much. We only took with us what we actually needed and used. It was bad because I quit putting down roots, knowing that we would be leaving soon. I did not buy curtains for the windows of some of our homes because I hated spending the money for something I knew would not work in the next place.
Then a friend helped me to see that I needed to make each place we stayed–home. I began to make even our hotel rooms ours. The first order of business was to put my touch to the room and make it home for the night.
There were times over the years that I cried because of our nomadic life. I longed for a home, a place to put down roots. For 14 years we did have a home. Our boys finished their education, started careers, and married. I put down roots, but in my heart of hearts, I knew we would move some more. During those years we still spent four months each year overseas. Those were nomadic times.
We now have two homes, one in the US and one in our adopted country. I feel at home in both places. We’ve visited many other places, but it is here we have made the greatest investment.
Recently, I’ve thought a lot about Sarah. She traveled through much of the Middle East during her 127 year life. She spent the last 62 years as a nomad in what came to be Israel. How she must have wanted to build a house and plant a garden! But instead, she got to live in all the land that she and her family would inherit. I wonder if knowing that helped her to move so often.
Psa. 2:8 says, “Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession.” I am awed and humbled as I realize that this marvelous land is part of my inheritance. I know I’m not the only one who will inherit this, many went before and many will follow me. But this is partially mine. What an honor! What a privilege!
For all the times I whined and complained about packing up and moving, I am truly sorry. I don’t deserve the honor I have to serve here. I only want to be a willing and obedient servant.
How about you? God wants to assure you that you will be blessed for your obedience in following Him. It is what you have done, not the results you see that God blesses. You have an inheritance you won’t see in this life, but is kept safe for you with the Father.
I’m reminded of a chorus we used to sing. Let these words energize you today.
“Don’t grow weary, in doing well,
Don’t surrender, in the fight;
Keep on storming, the gates of Hell,
Keep on doing, what you know is right.
Keep on praying, in the Sprit,
Keep on walking, in the Light;
Don’t be fearful, or discouraged,
Keep on doing, what you know is right.
For there will be season of testing,
And there may be weeping for a night;
But soon we’ll be reaping the blessing,
If we keep pressing on, toward the prize.”
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