Wednesday 19 March 2014

Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home,
Where I was a child, where my siblings and I, laughed, played and argued
Where we cried and laughed together
Whose walls echoed our shouting, rooms witnessed our deeds.



As the needle moved
My second home appeared where my husband and I,
made our home,
Where our children were born,
We share our joys and sorrows,
Where our kids laugh, play and argue
Whose walls have their fingerprints and rooms have stories to recite.

As the needle moves they will move to their own homes
And they and we, joined with many others will go to our eternal home-
Our home with Jesus where others and us,
Will laugh, play, and sing
Where the walls will echo our praises and rooms behold His Glory
We never have to switch the home again
Home, sweet home

Photo courtesy: www.pinktruth.com

Taking Risk to Build Our Home


Hannah is a a unique woman in the Bible. She was dearly loved by her husband Elkanah. Yet she also lived with his other wife who provoked her to irritate her. This misery intensified during the family visit to the house of the Lord. The reason was her childlessness. Her response to this dilemma was not quarrel, jealousy, retaliation, or gossip but just tears. Her husband tried to comfort her through words and action. Yet none of these could not pacify her. This scenario went on for years.
Hannah could have been content by her husband's love, yet she turned to God who could meet her need. I do not know why Hannah waited for many years before she decided to bring this issue before God. During one of their visits to the house of the Lord, she did something which made a difference in her life. In the midst of her weeping and prayer with bitterness of soul, she made a vow to the Lord: she would give her firstborn son to the Lord for all the days for his life. This was a risky decision as no mothers have done this before. Also she did not know whether she will have other children or if God would accept her son.
Hannah's prayer was first of this kind! Samuel was God's reply for her prayer and rest is history! She bore other children as well. She is a woman who was not willing to be buried in her misfortune and tears. She built her home with her trust in God. Besides, by giving her son to the house of the Lord, she decided to build God's house with her gift. She transformed her bitterness to bless the entire Israel from Dan to Beersheba. And all Israel recognized Samuel as the prophet of God.
Many mothers want a son like Samuel, but only to a Hannah a Samuel will be born. Only in Hannah's home Samuel can be raised. Only a mother who makes risky decisions on behalf of their children can build God's house.
What is special about Hannah and her home? Hannah's was not a perfect happy home that one dreams of. Hannah had a resident rival in her home who would cause irritation and tears. Yet this did not result in fight neither with her husband nor her rival. Besides, this was not a hindrance to her to express her devotion and trust in God. Also she could have tried to forget her misery in her husband's love. Yet, she decided to end her misfortune by turning towards God-a bold step towards building her home. Thus the key to unlock the door towards the answer to her problem was in Hannah's hands and not in anybody else.
What are somethings that bother us about our home? Are we trying to live with it thinking that it would never change? Are we waiting for some others to take a step towards the change? If change is needed, what can we do towards it?
One cannot build home alone. God is the One who builds, yet he gives us an opportunity to partner with him in building our home which necessities us to take risks with prayer, courage, wisdom, and perseverance.
Photo Courtesy: www.unhcr.org