Hello everyone! I was inspired to start a blog today after reading my baby sister’s blog about Heaven and longing for Home. She’s right…implanted into our hearts is the feeling that we’re not quite where we belong. We were created for another place and time altogether.
I borrowed the concept of the “Title Page” from C.S. Lewis, who compared our lives on earth to the Cover and Title Page of a book and said our “Great Story” would begin when we reached heaven (see the final page of “The Last Battle”, in the Chronicles of Narnia).
As I experience pregnancy, I am noticing the spiritual connections more and more. Baby Jack is safe and secure in my womb right now; he has yet to embark on the exciting, and somewhat scary, journey into this world. In the meantime, Randy and I are preparing a place for him in our home. We love him so much and we eagerly await his arrival. We can’t wait to see him face-to-face and hold him in our arms. In much the same way, we are in a “waiting period” in this world, and we have yet to experience the exciting, and somewhat scary, journey into the next World. In the meantime, Jesus is preparing a place for those who put their trust in Him. He loves us and can’t wait for us to get Home, see Him face-to-face, and be held in His arms!
Above Jack’s crib, we will be hanging a framed print of Rembrandt’s “Prodigal Son”. My hope is that Jack will always know that he is welcome home to his father and mother, no matter where he’s been or what he’s done. More than that, I pray that Jack will hear the Father’s call to come Home to Him, away from living life for himself, like an orphan. I pray that he will know and accept the grace and forgiveness of God through Jesus, and follow Jesus all the days of his life.
I heard a song that communicated the parallel between childbirth and our final transition from this Title Page to the Great Story the other day and want to close with these beautiful lyrics:
We’ve Been Waiting For You by Carolyn Arends
Let me hold you close, I know you’re frightened
Go ahead and cry, I understand
You were safe and you were warm
And then suddenly without a warning
Things began to change
It must have seemed so strange
To all at once be traveling a journey
All the way to this delivery room
But baby you are not alone
Your room is ready, let’s go home
You’re gonna like it here
Let me make it clear that
We’ve been waiting for you
We’re so glad you came
We’ve been looking forward
To showing you the place
There’s so much in store and
We’ve been waiting for you
I know it can take some getting used to
But this old world is where you’re meant to be
Life is something not to miss
The taste of ice cream, your first kiss
And when love takes your hand
You will understand why
We’ve been waiting for you
We’re so glad you came
We’ve been looking forward
To showing you the place
There’s so much in store and
We’ve been waiting for you
And watching you come into this world
Baby, you’ve made me believe
Another journey awaits us
So when I have to leave
I am pretty sure that I’ll be frightened
But even if I cry, please understand
I will know I’m not alone
When my room is ready I’ll go home
And when I reach the gate
I’m going to hear them saying
We’ve been waiting for you
We’re so glad you came
We’ve been looking forward
To showing you the place
There’s so much in store and
We’ve been waiting for you
Beautiful and true.