Today is an exciting day for me! I’m flying home to see my family for a long holiday (and my brother's wedding) and I
couldn’t be more excited!
Since moving overseas, I have truly learnt to treasure the blessing of family and the gift of ‘home home’. Although I have been lucky to make it home at least once a year for the past 6 years of living in London, the pandemic was a really tough time. To experience a time of uncertainty of not knowing when you’ll see your loved ones next is a battle…
To endure the empty feeling every time you walk away through the boarding gates at the airport knowing that in a matter of hours you’ll be thousands and thousands of miles away from your loved ones is painful…
To not receive a hug or a kiss from your loved ones for months on end is devastating…
But truthfully, as the old saying goes; “distance makes the heart grow fonder”.
I was always close to my family, but now I’m every closer.
I always spoke easily and freely with my siblings, but now we do even more on the phone.
I always loved our family tendencies and traditions, but I am even more proud of them now.
I always loved my loved one, but even more so now.
It’s an easy thing to say that the distance draws you closer but it’s so much more difficult to live through. It’s painful and lonely and comes with many tears. But even when it’s hard and our hearts hurt for the ones we love, we can know that we know that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are there, that they love us and are for us.
And how much more so with our Spiritual Life!
We don’t live with the physical presence of Jesus in person but when we endure difficult times, it’s never a trial we’d choose to go through, but we can stand strong in our faith despite the tears and know that we know that we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is there, He loves us and He is for us.
(Psalm 139vs7~10 NIV)
"Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast."
The scriptures show time and time and time again that nothing can separate us from the love of god.
And we can trust that because He is faithful. Even when we see a world around us that is not good - the evil that we see in the world is not a reflection on Him, it a reflection on sin that entered the world when man made the choice to follow the voice of the enemy way back in Genesis.
Just like you don’t stop communicating with your loved ones when you live away from you, God didn’t stop talking when the last book was finished in the Bible. Some days, He may feel far... But you are on His heart. You can believe that because he promised it in His Word
(Deuteronomy 31vs6 NIV)
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”He sent something far greater for us to hold in our everyday life - He gave us His Spirit. So all you need to do is lean into your heart and you will hear the answers for you. He will guide and lead you like He promised. Sometimes it takes a bit more tuning out of the background noise and tuning into His voice…. But He’s there! Always there!
~ X ~
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