Preparing a Place
By Jen Wollner
“In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
(John 14:2)
It’s a picturesque scene straight off a magazine cover. A beautiful nursery for a precious baby girl. Not a single detail is missing. The crib skirt is ruffled, just so. The pink gingham sheet and plaid bumper are without wrinkle. The sailcloth curtains hang with precision. All the decorative pieces on the walls are perfectly coordinated. And the closet…ah, the closet…filled with all of the lacey, flowered, pastel-colored clothes. It’s a room any girl would love.By Jen Wollner
“In my Father’s house are many rooms…I am going there to prepare a place for you.”
(John 14:2)
Hours, ok months, of preparation went into creating this special place for my daughter. And, as I sit on the rocker and look around the room, I’m very aware that there is one key element missing…my baby! At the moment, she is thousands of miles away in Guatemala City, Guatemala waiting for us to pick her up and bring her here to be a permanent part of our family. The time hasn’t come yet, but it will. And, when it does, we will be ready to welcome her home. She is already part of our hearts, but we can’t wait for the day when she will also be in our arms. Our love for her is indescribable. The anticipation of her arrival is almost unbearable.
Many of you can relate to the joy of welcoming a child home, but have you ever thought about what the scene will be like when our Heavenly Father welcomes us home for eternity with Him? I can’t even begin to imagine that moment. I can’t fathom the preparation that has gone into creating our heavenly rooms. And, my heart can’t comprehend the love our Father feels as He longs for us to be with Him forever in this perfect place. Just think about it…the absence of sin and sorrow, a glorious new body, streets of gold, the light of the Lord shining so brightly that the sun isn’t needed. The image of it makes me want to be there right now…you, too?
But, it’s not time yet. Our work here isn’t finished. So, we will wait, and so will He, until that perfect moment comes for us to go home. Until then, though, there is much to be done. There is truth to be spoken, praise to be given, people to serve, hearts to be touched and souls to be won. The excitement and satisfaction of doing His work here cannot be described in words. But, those emotions don’t come close to comparing with the joy we will experience when we are no longer aliens in this foreign land. The day we see our Father, face to face…oh, what a homecoming celebration that will be!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Sit quietly with your eyes closed for just a moment and try to imagine what it will be like to see Jesus in heaven someday.
2. What specific work does God has for you to do in the meantime? If you aren’t sure, ask Him!
FURTHER READING:
Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 21:1-4; 22:3-5
Jen and her husband are busily parenting three children under the age of 6. Jen heads Oakwood’s Fresh Start ministry.
