At Home

At home with Isabel, a younger member of our church.When a street party for VE day was not possible, she set one up At Home with delightful furry friends.

Jesus said; ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places’.

What comforting words, so often used at funerals yet relevant throughout life, to assure us all that we will all surely find a home in God and that Jesus has prepared the way!

But what do you think about when you think about a home?

Well we probably think about a building. As a child I often used to giggle at this verse when my grandfather, also a priest, used to sonorously intone this verse but in the King James Version: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions”. What a promise, the word mansion conjured up a beautiful grand building, whereas it really means a place to stay, a safe, secure place of comfort. It is that place of the saying ‘home is where the heart is’. From the very beginning people felt the need to have some sort of dwelling place to feel at home. Our true home is with God and Jesus, who comes from God, is preparing a place for us. Our true home then is not so much a place as a relationship. A relationship in the very heart of God.

One of my favourite prayers comes from compline or night prayer.

Abide with us Lord, while waking

And guard while sleeping,

That awake we may watch with Christ

And asleep we may rest in peace.

In peace we will lie down and sleep, for you alsone make us dwell in safety,

Abide with us Lord Jesus,

For the night is at hand and the day is now past.

As the night watch looks for the morning,

So do we look for you O Christ.

Come with the dawning of the day,

And make yourself known in the breaking of bread.

The Lord bless us and watch over us,

The Lord make his face to shine upon us

And be gracious to us, and give us peace.