Moving Out After 11 Long Years

After 11 long years, we were once again jolted out of our comfortable, everyday existence with the news that we have to move.

The entire compound we are in, including the house we are renting is undergoing renovation. Arrangements with the house owners have previously been made and they were nothing close to what we have to do now. The arrangement was they'd start and finish the work at our next door house first, and then, we'd move in there and they'd work on the house we'd move out of. After which, we would simply move back to our “original” house again.

Well, obviously things did not work out the way we had hoped they would. Prior talks made were disregarded; thus, our immediate need for “self-eviction.”

When I found out yesterday that we truly had to move, words randomly flashed through my brain to describe our situation and the way I felt about it. All of these words could be summarized into just one word: HASSLE.

This impromptu move is indeed a hassle for all of us—an intrusion into our already hectic schedules.

(Well, my schedule actually is a little less hectic now that I’m on a break from school and in between jobs. Although I’m so happy because of those two reasons, the urgent need to move is still stealing away from the few precious moments that I have to work on some important projects—e.g. scripts for Hope Channel and the business plan for RealDig, Inc.)

But, as I was taking a shower tonight after a long day packing boxes and boxes and boxes of my stuff (mostly books and documents), a thought sprang to mind that somehow gave me a “paradigm shift” about this whole “migration” thing. Maybe not completely, for this is still indeed a big hassle for all of us, but at least enough to lighten my sentiments on the subject matter.

The lyrics of a song floated into my consciousness and kept repeatedly playing in my brain. “This world is not my home, I'm just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door and I can't feel at home in this world anymore.”

It dawned on me that God was probably reminding me that no matter where I go in this world; no matter how long I stay at that place; and no matter how comfortable and settled in I become, I still don’t belong in this sin-sick world. I have a far better home that Jesus is preparing all for me (not that I like living alone; just to make a point). And it’s a home that I will never ever, ever have to move from for all eternity.

I praise and thank God for reminding me this, especially on a Sabbath eve. And so now, I am once again able to lay aside all my cares and worries and just enjoy a peaceful Sabbath communion with my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.