Hi, this is Joni and I heard the most poignant story the other day...
Dr. Vance Havner tells about a little girl who spends the night at the home of a friend. It's the first night this little girl has ever been away from her family and in the middle of the night, she's scared and begins to cry. Her friend's mother comes in the bedroom, sits on the edge of the bed and asks, "What's the matter, dear, are you 'homesick?'"… Where upon the child blubbers out, "No, I'm HERE-sick!"
I thought of that little story when I was on my way to work today. The green coastal mountains were beautiful and the sky was crystal clear blue. It was lovely. But there was a sig alert on the freeway and so I got off and took the side roads. Between there and work, there were at least 17 fast-food places and storefronts crowding out that beautiful vista... and signs and billboards... a sleep sofa store had a couple of its lounge chairs on the sidewalk... at the light, a guy in his souped-up Pontiac had his boom box blaring loud… all of this in the span of a couple of miles.
I tried to look for those beautiful green mountains and the blue sky because I'm like that little girl. I am so here-sick. Homesick for heaven, yes; but here-sick when it comes to the day-to-day stuff that hits you, just driving from home to work. But there's a danger in becoming too here-sick...
Because I must never allow myself to become sick and tired of people. The people God has elected to be part of his family -- I don't know who those people are, but I just bet it's that guy in the loud Pontiac. And I just bet it’s the owner of that sofa store… for you, it could be the lady two people in front of you at the Rite Aid cash register. It could be the new guy who just started working at your dry cleaner’s or the bag boy who recognizes you at the supermarket. These people may very well be the ones who eventually will come to Christ. They are precious, they are important, and you and I must not become "here-sick" of them, because soon, heaven is going to break on the horizon and, yes, I'll step into my eternal home but -- oh my goodness -- I don't want to leave behind that bag boy at the market. Whether I give him a tract or a book or invite him to church or whatever... he needs to hear the Gospel. God’s got me in the here and now to sow seeds of Gospel hope and help.
Isaiah 35 says that our rescuer is on his way... (Oh, I love that). John tells us that the night is soon coming... and the day will soon dawn… the entire Bible is replete with reminders that heaven will be here sooner than we think. So temper your here-sickness with the invigorating call to make every day count... Soon down will come the billboards; no more traffic jams, no more crowded streets, or noise: God will soon usher in the new heavens and earth where there will be no more sorrow or sickness. Until then, make this day count -- you've got this one chance, this one life to live and now is the time to scatter those Gospel seeds and give his hope and help as best you can to everyone you meet, no matter if it's only a smile and a “God bless you.” Don't be here-sick today... be here-savvy and -- for heaven's sake -- make the most of every opportunity. One more thing, don’t forget to visit me today at joniandfriendsradio.org to get your free copy of my little book on hope. And while you’re there, take a look at a short video I did on how much hope means to me. It’s all there for you at joniandfriendsradio.org. In fact, while you’re visiting, write me a few lines, would you? It always brings hope when I hear from a friend. Especially if that friend’s a little here-sick or homesick or heaven-sick like me! See you later, friend; until next time on Joni and Friends.
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