Dear friends,

This past week for us has been filled with moving in and setting up our home south of Olympia, WA. For the first time in about eight years, we are planning to stay put in one place for the foreseeable future. The family is very excited about this prospect, as they’ve been weary bouncing around from one place to the next over the past several years. We are finding that our thought process is quite different when planning to stay in a location for several years vs. when we might only be in a place for a few or several months. We are putting down roots, making “long-term” decisions, and trying to plan for the future.

Now I want to tie this with what I’ve been reading in God’s Word. In my devotional times, I’ve been going through Exodus and reading about the Israelites wandering in the desert. They never knew how long they’d be in any place. When the pillar of cloud stopped, they stopped. When it moved on, so did they. They lived in tents and were basically nomads until God moved them into the “Promised Land” of Canaan. However, even the Promised Land was not an ultimate permanent home. In John 14, Jesus says he is preparing an eternal home for us with the Father. In Hebrews 4 and other places, we are reminded that even our more “permanent” dwellings on earth are not really permanent. Believers have an “eternal Sabbath rest” coming (Hebr. 4:9-11). Our true “home” is with the Lord in heaven (2 Cor.5:8).

So this perspective is necessary for every believer. We are here on earth for a time, but only temporarily. Our permanent home is in heaven with the Lord, worshiping him for the rest of eternity. Let us guard our hearts so we don’t set down too deep of roots here, getting too attached to things of this world. We’re on a “mission trip” to walk with Jesus and help others to know and love Jesus. This is to be our focus. Using our resources, focusing our time, efforts and energy in this direction will lead to an eternally significant investment, instead of being like the foolish farmer who built his barns and poured himself into efforts which were all quickly taken away (Luke 12).

Pressing on for the time being, Eric