A Better Country

 

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants bas many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:8-16 ESV).

 

While Mary and I would like to spend more time in the Smokies, we don’t get there nearly enough. When we are able to travel there, we have found a small cabin on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. It is very cozy and sits on the river which gives me the opportunity to fly fish in the mornings while she is sleeping a bit later. The picture I’ve included was taken in the fall, though it is equally beautiful at any season. And, the fishing is pretty good on Thursday through Saturday since they release the rainbows on Thursday morning upstream from here. It has become our “home away from home.” We always look forward to these times away together.

 

But living in someone else’s home is no substitute for being at our home in Texas. The writer of Hebrews, looking back at the stories of Israel’s patriarchs, makes clear that something deeper drives our search for home. In faith we are “looking for the city … whose architect and builder is God.” Not all of us might recognize this deeper search, of course. Often, we pull up stakes in search of something that will make our lives better. We imagine we can trade the hardships and heartaches of one situation for a week at the cottage, or with a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or with a stiff drink, or a new job, or a nicer home, or, anything else that might seem to fulfill our longing. But the best this world can offer is merely a substitute compared to the home with “many rooms” that our Savior prepares for us (cf. John 14:2).

 

The patriarchs, by faith, went somewhere. They followed God’s call or discovered that God was with them as they went. And they learned that just going somewhere could never satisfy the longing that only God could fulfill. Look to THAT better country God is preparing specifically for you. That brings hope and life, peace and encouragement in the journey!