I have lived in 28 different homes (if you don’t count stays of six months or less). Twenty-two of those homes were after Bob and I got married. We have been at our current location since 2007. This 19-year stretch is the longest we have had. I love it here.
But I also know that as we age (Bob is 86 and I’m soon to be 80), staying here might not always be possible. One or both of us will probably have to move before too long. I anticipate that when that happens, it will be difficult. This is our abode.
I looked up that word abode in Merriam-Webster and abode simply means the place we call home. There is another place, however, where we are to have our abode. Jesus said in John 15:9, “Abide in my love.”
The word abide used there is Menó. It is a primary verb and means to stay in a given place, to abide, continue, dwell, remain. In other words, we are to make our home in the love of Christ.
Home is where we return when we’ve been away. When the difficulties of life pull our hearts away, we must return “home,” home to the love of Christ Jesus. His love is our home—the place where we remain, continue, dwell, abide—the place we can truly call home.
“Home is where the heart is.” Amen&Amen