"Jesus answered and said to Him. If anyone loves Me, He will cherish my Word; and My Father will love him, and we will come and make our home with Him." (John 14:23)
In the name of Jesus. Amen. Does the Father love you today? Does He love you right now? You betcha! The Father loves us right now in Christ. In fact, only in Christ do we know for sure that God loves us.
Has the Father come to you? You betcha! God has come to us in His Word, in His Baptism, and in His Supper. That’s the Holy Spirit’s work!
Has God made a home with you? Before you answer "not yet," don’t forget the other answers! The Father loves you right now in Christ. The Father and Son have come to you through the working of the Spirit in the Word, the water, and the Body and Blood of Jesus.
Yes, He will make a home with you in heaven one day, but what about right now? Has God made a home with you right now?
You betcha! Right now, God has made a home with us in Christ. He has shown His love in the giving up His Son on the Cross. God has delivered heaven to us, even today, making a home with us right now. God is with us right now, making a home with us right now in Christ.
Do you believe that? Is that how you live each day? Repent and learn to cherish, to hold dear, the Words of Jesus and you will!
The Father and the Son love you, have come to you, and have made a home with you in Christ. Doesn’t that just change everything for you? Your family, your work, your school, and your life are taking place in the context of God making a home with you.
By faith, You are in heaven – even in this life, even in suffering, and especially when you finally close your eyes and sleep. You are in heaven now because God the Father loves you in Christ and has come to you.
And if by faith, that is, by Jesus, we are in heaven already – here, now – how much more spectacular will it be when our Lord calls us home on the Last Day, and we are with Him in heaven forever?
Until that glorious day, heaven is not some far-off reality, heaven is our home right now. Heaven is in your ears cherishing the Word, heaven has been splashed on your foreheads in Baptism, and Heaven is in your mouth in His Sacrament. Even right now? You know the answer, don’t you? You betcha! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Higher Things Reflections are written by Rev. George F. Borghardt III, Assistant Pastor at St. Mark Lutheran Church, Conroe, TX.