One
of my favorite missionary stories is of Henry C. Morrison. Mr. &
Mrs. Morrison were faithful missionaries who served the Lord in
Africa for over 40 years. He recalls that emotional day when he and
his wife boarded a ship on their way back to the United States. His
mind flooded with memories of the wonderful experiences they had
enjoyed on the mission field.
He
began wondering what it would be like to return to his Midwestern
hometown. “Will anyone there still remember us?”
Aboard
that same ship that day with Henry and his wife was the President of
the United States, Teddy
Roosevelt.
He was returning from a big game hunting trip in Africa. When the
ship pulled into the New York harbor there were thousands of people
there to greet the arriving President. The crowds were cheering and
the bands were playing. There were signs, banners and billboards
everywhere saying, “Welcome Home” .
Mr.
Morrison and his wife with their luggage in hand quietly made their
way to the deck of the ship
to
exit. No one had come to welcome them back home. There were no bands
playing or banners flying in their honor. Henry Morrison went to his
hotel room with a rather heavy heart. As he sat there on the bed, he
asked his wife, “Honey, for 40 years we poured our lives into
ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a
single soul comes to welcome us home!”
His
wife came and sat down next to her husband. She put her hand on his
shoulder, and said to him,
“Henry,
you have forgotten something, you’re not home yet!”
When
we dwell with God in this life, we realize that we are not home yet.
What great words those are! “We’re not home yet.” 1 Corinthians
3:16 states, “Don't
you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit
dwells in your midst?”
As
we suffering in this life, we can dwell with God and His spirit
comforts us with the words that this is temporary...the best is yet
to come. He reminds us that we are not home yet. We dwell with God
today in knowing the best is yet to come....today is not about the
here and now, but about the there and then.
You know I love ya, Don
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