Welcome Home

Saying Goodbye

I don't know about you, but I'm not a great "goodbye" kind of guy. I am much more partial to "hello." But goodbyes are an unavoidable part of life. Goodbyes remind us that this earth is not our real home.

But in the mean time, God uses goodbyes to free up space in our hearts. Goodbyes open up fissures, sometimes even cavernous holes in our hearts that can only be filled by God. Goodbyes create space that we didn't want, that we didn't look for and that we didn't even know existed. They present us with an opportunity to grow and trust God in new ways.

And so we said goodbye to Ryan today (well, it was actually yesterday now) at the Eastern Iowa Airport. Sharon and I are excited for him about this new chapter of his life. But we are also acutely aware that there is an empty space in our hearts. It's a good reminder for us that our trust needs to be in Christ, and that only He can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart. Properly observed, grief serves as a companion who introduces us to new intimacy with Christ and a new capacity to care.

And that brings me back to the hope of heaven where there will be no more tears, no more separation. In heaven there will be no more goodbyes, only eternal hellos! In heaven we will finally hear the words, "Welcome home!"