Homecoming | Letters to a Samuel Generation
by Rachel Starr Thomson
written April 2001
Crowds are lining the streets of heaven, every heart beating the same thought: “He's coming home!”
The saints and the angels have been watching since the beginning of the Lord's strange journey. They wept for Him, were angry for Him, and rejoiced with Him. Most of all, they missed Him.
A hush follows over the crowd as the gates of Heaven open, and suddenly He is there. He looks on them all, and smiles. In a moment a shout of victory swells from the ranks, as Jesus walks among them once more. He pauses here and there to look into a certain face and catch a sparkling eye. Gabriel smiles as he meets his Master's eyes. It was his joy to herald the King's arrival on Earth, but his joy is far greater now, when he can welcome Him home.
Michael, the mighty Archangel, salutes as Jesus passes by him. How many times did he hold back his legions from going to the Lord's rescue? Many times his heart burned with anger against the Father of Lies, and again and again he was forced to hold back. The day is coming, Michael knows, when he will no longer hold back. It will be his joy and his crown.
Here and there an angel bows his head, face flushed with pleasure at the Master's smile. These came to Jesus in the wilderness and in Gethsemane; His ministers when no one else cared. They could not do much. There were times they wanted to move mountains for their Lord... but now He is home again, and what they could not do no longer matters.
And now Jesus has passed by the ranks of angels on His walk down the main street of heaven, and He looks on the saints. Abraham, Moses, David... there are tears in their eyes. For the first time Jesus stands before them not just as a God, but as a man. They are humbled and overwhelmed.
At last the strange entrance is over, and Jesus is seated at the right hand of His Father. It is good to be home, at last. It is good to be in the city where love reigns. Yet, in His eyes is a far away look. He has left a part of Himself behind, willingly so. In going home, He does not mean to leave His followers alone.
The welcome in the eyes of the saints and angels... on earth its closest match was the welcome in Mary's eyes when she saw her first son, and the awe and love showed by Anna and Simeon in the Temple.
The allegiance that the angels silently give... was it ever matched on Earth? John the Baptist gave everything to prepare Jesus' way, yet, he doubted. Peter swore his undying devotion many times, but he denied the Lord. The love and loyalty that are the heartbeat of Heaven exist only in traces and shadows on the earth. But Jesus' heart is not here. He has given everything to His people on the earth. He has come back to the City of Light in order to prepare a home for His followers.
This day is a day of rejoicing for Heaven, a day of uncertainty for the small group of Christians that now live in the all-too earthly Jerusalem. The saints and angels have their Lord with them again, the disciples have only a fervent hope to cling to and the promise of a coming Comforter.
But Jesus knows what is ahead. This Kingdom of love and light is soon to be born on Earth, in the hearts of men. This welcome is for them, too. They are being brought into a new life, into a new day. They don't realize it yet, but someday... someday it will all become clear.
Life for Jesus' followers isn't going to be easy; but ease was never in the plan. And when their pilgrimage is over, they too have a home waiting for them. They have a City of Light and Love, where legions of angels and saints gone before wait to greet them.
Someday they will all hear the greatest words that could ever be spoken to a human soul:
“Welcome home.”
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.” (John 14:1-3, 14:18-20)
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