2 Chronicles 20:1-13 (MSG)
20 1-2 Some time later the Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat received this intelligence report: “A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you. There’s no time to waste—they’re already at Hazazon Tamar, the oasis of En Gedi.”
3-4 Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed. He went to God for help and ordered a nationwide fast. The country of Judah united in seeking God’s help—they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to God.

1 Peter 2:24-25 (NIV)
24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Home. I’ve been blessed with living in a few different places, but staying planted in the Chicago area. There are roots here. My kids are the 4th generation to live in the same town. Even though they, like me, wanted to get as far away as possible when they could (hence why I went to WA and they went to CT, TX and CA), deep roots make for a strong tree. We have a home where we can all come back to to get together as a family.

We have another home to go home to. A united home. A place to return to for safety, peace, and comfort. When we are like sheep going astray – walking dumbly into danger and not being strong enough to get out on our own, we aren’t home. Yeah, we think we’re getting out of trouble, but when we’re honest with ourselves, we’re not getting out like we had hoped – the enemy is still nipping at our heels even if we’ve put some distance between us. That’s not safety, peace or comfort, and it’s certainly not victory. Home is in a different direction.

Our enemies will show up when we least expect it, our friends will let them pass and get close to us, we will have battles to fight. However, the big battle, the one that matters, the battle for our souls has already been fought and won. Nothing else matters. Nothing else matters.

The way forward isn’t through ourselves, it’s through Christ in spite of ourselves. No matter how mortally wounded we are, we’ve been healed for the eternity to come. That’s home.

Come home for good.