-Luke 9:58
I like that. The ironic thing about this verse is that the title of the passage it comes from is, "The Cost of Following Jesus." I joke and complain about being "homeless," and roaming around Nashville like a nomad when I'm here, but this is the way Jesus lived. Except He did it on foot! He just traveled around and spread His love. So I think it's cool that I get to do that. I get to be here, and spend time with people, and I have the opportunity to spread His love while I do that. I get to do that in North Carolina, and Texas, and everywhere in between. And I really think that maybe God did that for a reason. I get to cover so much ground this summer, and I get to bring Him with me everywhere I go! So I hope that the people that I come into contact with along this journey that I'm on this summer will see Jesus in whatever I do.
The passage that the above verse comes from talks about two different men who Jesus is calling to follow Him. The first one says, "Lord, first let me go bury my father." And Jesus says to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go an proclaim the kingdom of God." (v. 59-60) The second man says, "I will follow you, but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family." Jesus' response is, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." (v. 61-62) So pretty much Jesus is saying that nothing, not even burying your dead father or saying goodbye to your family, is more important than following Him. And He takes us on these bizarre paths that we don't understand, but that's "The Cost of Following Him."
Basically, my point is that I think God has me feeling homeless for a reason. And my Mom would probably say, "You're not homeless, your home is in Texas, and you need to stop holding on to Nashville." But I don't think I'm done with Nashville just yet... there are too many people here that are still impacting my life so much, and helping me grow so much, for me to just leave and never come back. I cherish my time here because of that. I had breakfast with a special old friend this morning, and that two hours with her was so encouraging, and I felt like I grew so much just in that short amount of time that I spent with her. And I've found those kinds of people in Arkansas, and I'm sure I'll find them in North Carolina and Texas too. And the cool thing about finding people like that is that those are the people that can make anywhere feel like home.
So what I think I'm trying to say is that maybe God has things to teach me in all of these different places that He is taking me to, and staying in one place just for the sake of "having a home" isn't anywhere near as awesome as the path He has me on. Jesus never really had a home... and if we really desire to be Christ-like as Christians, we shouldn't become so attached to these places that we make our homes, because His plan is the one that matters, and by staying on the path that He has chosen for us, we'll all end up in the same eternal home. That's the place I want to call home.
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