Just Make Yourself at Home!
I grew up in a different age. I can rember when folks would not
knock on our door, but instead open the screen door and call out,
"Anybody home!" They would already be half in when the answer, "Sure,
Come on in." was given.
I did a lot of travelling from 1964 to 1966. Covered some 33 states,
visited hundreds of Churches and stayed in countless homes. Pastors
had not discovered motels back then. I have been asked to make myself
home many times, and most of the time, that was not hard to do. But,
I always knew, I wasn't home!
I have spent some 67 years on this old planet. I have pretty well
grown accustomed to its mores and ways. I really do enjoy my accomodations
usually. I am comfortable enough to kick off my shoes and put my feet
on the coffee table. But, for a long time now, I know I am not at
home. The feeling is getting more explicit. In the first place, I
have to lock my front door! I am sometimes shocked by who comes into
my house through the T.V.; they don't even give me time to switch
the channel. If I still had kids here, I wouldn't even have the thing.
I don't own my house, so don't have freedom to do what I want with
it. Most of us have landlords or Credit managers.
Everywhere I go, I have to see, not look at, trashy stuff. I get
it in my mailbox, I see it at the checkout in the grocery stores and
Wal-Mart. If I turn on my radio or even get close to a crowd of men
or women on the street, I hear vulgar language and smut. People say
they only have TV's to watch the news or football games. Funny they
never mention the commercials and half-time bawdyness.
Consequently, I am realizing more each day that I am not really
at home. I am on a business trip. The Lord's business. He has said
to me that I am a witness, "unto Him." wherever I go. If he has control
of my life, then I am a profitable witness, "unto Him." If I am in
control then my witness is not profitable to Him. I find that if I
adapt myself to be comfortable in this home, then He is not given
as much control of me that he asks for. If I am not obedient to follow
him with his Cross, then my witness gets tainted with religion. If
I try to mix the ways of this world with the ways of His world then
my witness gets tainted with carnality. So, I am in a twixt.
I will gladly stay here in this old house as long as he wants me to
stay. I will do my best to obey Him. I will not grumble about my status...
at least most of the time.
But, I sure will be glad when he decides to take me off the road and
brings me home. I can then take off my shoes and prop up my feet.