Longing for home

I flew out of Heathrow five weeks ago today. I am SO ready to go home!! I love Sydney. I loved New York and Vancouver, too. But I'm now longing for home. It's not that Surbiton is that exciting - it's not in danger of winning any favourite town awards! The first photo shows Berrylands railway station - which is only three doors away from my flat. You can see what a picturesque area I live in! The second photo is Sydney Opera House, where I enjoyed a performance of Othello on Thursday night, and which was declared, that very day, a world heritage sight. Surbiton or Sydney? There's no contest really.

BUT Sydney isn't home. I miss home. I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss work (honestly!). But most of all I miss the peace and quiet of my own home. For the past five weeks I've been with people all the time. I've stayed with great people - all of them - who've been welcoming, kind and generous. Really terrific. But I am SO ready to have some time on my own - my own space, and no noise. It's the PEACE and SPACE I can't wait to get back to...

I was reminded in this evening's sermon that followers of Jesus are all living away from home. Our home isn't in Sydney. Or even Surbiton. It's with Jesus, in the new creation. One of my favourite books is Philippians. In 4 v 20-21 it says this:

'Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.'

New bodies - a new creation - and seeing our Lord face to face. I really am longing to get back to Surbiton - but, oh, what a wonderful future home I have to look forward to!