What does it mean to be “homesick?”

Homesickness is to have a deep sadness or even depression caused by the extreme longing for someone you love, like your Mama, Dad, Family, Husband, or friends. Sometimes these may still be with you or possibly have passed away. Even close pets or a place you love, like home, a getaway vacation place, etc., can stir these emotions of longing.

Occasionally, I will get a whiff of a certain food that Mama cooked and memories come rushing back and stir my heart with a yearning for her. Or, sometimes I will smell Prince Albert tobacco, and I am reminded of my Daddy smoking a cigarette.

There are times when someone will began joking by saying that they are going to help spend their child’s retirement; immediately, I hear my brother Jerry teasing my niece, Nikki, with the same words. Oh, how much I would love to see him again and laugh as he picked at her.

Oh, yes, let me tell you about my dear friend, Betty. She was one of a kind, a “Shining Jewel of Jesus.” In 1992, I was very sick, bedridden, and housebound for many months. Several times a day she would knock on the door and say “Tricia, it’s Betty.” She would come in holding her cup of coffee with her little pinkie angled out, always with the most beautiful smile. She definitely was God’s ray of “Sonshine” in my life. A whiff of coffee will bring back the memories and longings so quick.

But, lately, I am having a deep longing for “Home,” my eternal home, a groaning from within.

Romans 8:22-27 talks about three groanings:

• The Earth – we know that the whole creation/earth has been groaning as in childbirth pain right up to now.
• Ourselves – we groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for the adoption as sons and the redemption of our bodies.
• The Spirit – intercedes with groans that words cannot express, He searches our hearts, and intercedes with God’s will.

My heart is longing for an eternal dwelling, one not made by human hands. 2 Cor. 5:1-5 describes it this way, “We groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, (our heavenly house, clothed with Jesus’ righteousness, pure and holy). Our Father God has made us for this purpose and blessed us with His Holy Spirit.”

Revelation 21:1 gives us a glimpse of what is awaiting for our longing hearts. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling with God is with men, and He will live with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order has passed away. I am making everything new,’ said He that was seated on the throne.”

This one thing we know is that as long as we live in this earthly body, the “longings for home” will be with us. Let’s remember that we are a people who live by faith, not by what we see or what we feel. So today, I choose to keep looking up knowing that our redemption definitely draws very near. As 2 Corinthians 5:9 says, “whether we are in the body or away from it, we will continue to follow after the Lord with all our hearts and please Him only.”

One day soon, we will stand face to face with our Great God, forever home with Him.

Longing to be forever home,

Tricia Cook