“blessed are those who are homesick, for they shall come home” — they shall find themselves.” A Poet
Some pine for independence, some seek individuality. Some go for the independent ride with hopes to develop individuality. Perhaps they are sincere. Perhaps they fear a lack of development will be the ultimate end of merely living and dutifully abiding at home. I am reminded of a statement from Dr. Carl H. Stevens for Christians:
“Don’t try to find your place in the body of Christ: You are a place in the body of Christ.”
In other words our development as Christians, both of talents and gifts, and most importantly, in character, finds it’s fulfillment not in a quest or search, but in a simple acceptance of a place pre-determined by Christ himself.
1Corinthians 12:27 reminds us :
“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. “
The prodigal son of Luke chapter 15, sought his inheritance, secured it, and proceeded to the independent world of discovery. The question beckons us , why did he go? Was it the desire for adventure ? Most likely the Father would not have wanted to finance a mere desire for adventure. Was it mere youthful lust? — a yearning for freedom? Probably, however, the answer is most likely very familiar to most of us; he went to “find” himself. Honestly, home was cramping the boy. Gifts and talents were hankering for development, but at home there was no time or opportunity. Frankly, a mixture of ‘righteous’ causes and also some ‘unrighteous’ ones likely drove the flight.
How did things turn out? Well, “He did not find himself; Rather, he lost himself.”
Let’s visit a quote from ” Christ and the meaning of life” by Helmut Thielicke: “When he had set out he thought he would surely find himself if only he could allow all his abilities and talents to develop. And the fact is that he really could have developed himself in the “free” far country. But, as it turned out, what was it that did develop when his abilities were given free reign? Was it his so-called better self, his idealistic motives which came into play? Well, perhaps all this played its Part too. But, in any case, in his self development the dark sides of his nature also developed : his passions, his fear, his ambition, his sensuality. Because he developed himself, he became enslaved to precisely those dark powers which were within him and which developed along with everything else within him. And the end was that he found himself in the utter misery of servitude. Suddenly he was the lowest servant of all.”
Friends, unfortunately, self-discovery is dual natured , and truly that is the nature that we inherited genetically, from a tree of the” knowledge of good and evil.” (See Genesis 2). In my discovery of self, call it “self realization, “or whatever you wish, self is self. I may want only the good half of the tree of self, but I get the evil with it.
So, what happened next? Well, “he suddenly knew that freedom is not freedom from ties and obligations , but rather only a particular way of being bound. I have some freedom only as the child of my father. I have found freedom only when I live in accord with my origin, which means, when I am at peace with God.” H. T. “I am who I am by the grace of God.”
Beloved, the prodigal son came to himself. When? Only when he abandoned the self searching and turned his eyes toward home. Then, the realization of who he was flooded his soul. He was a child of his father and all of the inherent traits, attributes, endowments , and benefits were found right there. All was already in place at home with the father.
Brothers and Sisters, We find life only if we find this life.
But if we miss it, we shall fail to be what we were intended to be. We may even achieve greatness in the world; we may lack nothing in the way of outward goods, people may bow to us with deep respect, but we shall have missed the meaning of our lives. When the father embraced his homecoming son, then the son was not only at home again, he had also found himself.
In closing, Cain built a city, Lamech killed a man and had two wives. Tubalcain was an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: Jabal: was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. The prodigal thankfully bottomed out eating with the pigs. The realization of the corrupt ineptitude of that diverse nature sparked a new beginning, a greater adventure — this one would really succeed, this one works!
He became homesick, he went home. Love ya
