Based on “The Battle Is Not Yours, but God’s” by Pastor Mark Balmer; 1/9-10/10,
Message #MB403; Daily Devotional #6 - “Homesick”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): If you travel much, or went away to summer camp or college as a young person, you may have been homesick at one time or another. Most people describe homesickness as a longing to be back home, continuously missing family, friends, and their familiar surroundings. The roots we have sown go deep, leaving us empty when we are away from them. We feel out of place, uncomfortable, and even lost. The moment we make our way back home, our sense of comfort and peace is restored and life is sweet.
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Think of Jesus. He left the comfort and perfection of His Heavenly home to seek and save the lost here on earth (Luke 19:10). On a shallow level, to ‘seek’ means to ‘look for,’ but go a little deeper and to ‘seek’ means to ‘desire’ or to ‘search out.’ As God in the flesh, Jesus was a man of sorrows, rejected by men, who lived a humble life (Isaiah 53:3). He willingly laid down His life in every aspect during the short time He walked on our soil. Jesus taught several parables on being lost. One such story was the parable of the lost sheep. Speaking to the religious leaders of His day, Jesus said, “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4). This is exactly why Jesus came. YOU are the one lost sheep. He left Heaven to find you and bring you home. The Lord spoke to Ezekiel hundreds of year’s earlier, saying: My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them. (Ezekiel 34:6). While Jesus may have missed His Father and wanted to be back home, He would not leave without first giving His all to us. In His times of trouble, Jesus sought the Father to give Him strength, courage, and wisdom. He spent much of His time alone in prayer and fasting so that nothing would distract Him from knowing God’s will. And while He faced the torture and anguish of the cross, He trusted God the Father to win His battle (2 Chronicles 20:15), and we, His precious children, can live in victory.
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): Jesus is still seeking the lost sheep today. “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep” (John 10:7). The word of the Lord to Jeremiah says, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiahs 29:13). Are you seeking God with your whole heart? When we are away from God we are empty, out of place, and lost—we are homesick. Jesus left the earth to prepare our real home in Heaven (John 14:2). It is a place where our comfort, joy, and peace is restored and a place where we are reunited with family and friends. Are you feeling homesick? Jesus laid down His life for all lost sheep to find their way home. Isaiah 55:6 tells us to, Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Don’t let anything distract you or keep you from truly seeking the Lord today. Make your way home to Jesus and life will be sweet.
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What or who are you seeking? What are the true desires of your heart?
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Are you spending daily, personal, quality time with the Lord? What is distracting you?
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Will you seek God with the same passion He first sought you?
Cultivating (Additional Reading): John 14:23; Romans 2:8; Philippians 3:20
KYR
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.