Homecoming
It was the late 80’s and I was a senior in high school. So my hair was up and my favorite band was Duran Duran. I was driving a Hyundai Excel and I had a Chinese girlfriend, so I had to be The Man. It was time for Homecoming at her high school, so I jumped at the chance to join this party, which was unlike the banquets at the Adventist academy I attended. But the price was steep, so I had to figure out a way to pay for the tickets.
I quickly utilized my reliable mode of transportation and got a gig delivering pizzas. Driving around in Northern D.C. is not a safe experience, and Takoma Park was not pizza-delivery friendly. But it’s the price you pay, to go to Homecoming. As soon as I reached my necessary funds, I quit the pizza job, took the hard-earned cash and put it into the hands of my girlfriend. I remember thinking: she better appreciate what I had to endure, in order to come up with that money.
There were six of us, piled into my friend’s mini-van. It started with an awkward Italian dinner, followed by the party. This is what I paid for? It was a small event, nothing like what I had expected from the elite Springbrook High School of Montgomery County! The evening ended with a walk along the reflecting pool, by the Lincoln Memorial. It was a warm fall evening, and I began to consider: what exactly is a homecoming?
When I think of homecoming, I see soldiers returning from the front lines, dressed in full uniform, stepping off the plane to a crowd waving tiny American flags in their hands. The band is playing and everyone is cheering the bravery, endured by the few and the proud. The soldiers quickly meet their spouses and children, and embrace each other for an eternity. They are safe, they are home.
A homecoming is special because there has been a prolonged separation that has caused the heart to grow weary and faint. There is a yearning to be with that loved one again, to feel the warmth of their embrace, to see the look in their eyes, and to know that you are now together. Some people say that, “distance makes the heart grow fonder.” Cornell University researchers suggest that long distance couples may feel more intimate with each other, than couples who see each other all the time (Journal of Communication; June 2013). The study shows that people in long distance relationships willingly share their feelings without being coaxed and they are more accepting of their partners’ behaviors. Are we in a long distance relationship with Jesus Christ?
Yes, I know that if we accept Jesus into our hearts, He lives within us all and that God is everywhere, all the time. I know that the Holy Spirit is ever present in my heart. But I also know that when Adam and Eve walked out of the Garden of Eden, the plan to bring us back home (that was conceived before the foundations of the world was laid) was put into effect, as Jesus sacrificed an innocent lamb and put garments of skin on our parents. “So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the Garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24 NKVJ) Since that moment when the gates of the Garden were closed behind the most beautiful couple, the greatest Homecoming has been in preparation.
So, are you ready for the greatest Homecoming the universe has ever witnessed? It will be a grand party, but there is a steep price to pay. In fact, no one on earth has enough funds to pay for the entrance tickets. No amount of pizza delivery tips could cover the price for this Homecoming party! But the good news is that our tickets have already been paid for. The apostle Paul says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches which He lavished on us” (Ephesians 1:7-8). I wonder if we realize what He had to endure, in order to secure our Homecoming tickets?
For every gift given, there must be a response. A “thank you!” A box of Asian pears or Fuji apples. The proper response to the gift given by Christ would be baptism and a sanctified life. This is in preparation for Homecoming. A sanctified life can be found in the Holy Place of the sanctuary of God. In it was the table of showbread, where Christ is the bread of life (John 6:35). This represents Bible study in our daily lives. The altar of incense sends the sweet aroma of our prayers to heaven. A sanctified life has continuous prayers going up to heaven. Finally, the golden lamp stand, a constant light for the holy place. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). This light of the world should flow through us in the form of evangelism. Bible study, prayer and witnessing; give a proper thank you to God each day by living the sanctified life!
And finally, the great party! It’s really coming. I say this because many Christian authors and theologians today are now dismissing the notion that a visible and literal 2nd coming will take place. Instead, they suggest that the 2nd coming is a spiritual experience that takes place within your heart. No! I want a real party! I don’t want an imaginary party in my heart. But it doesn’t matter what I want, but what is stated in God’s words of truth. Jesus told me in John 14, that He has gone to prepare a place for all of us and that He is coming to take us there. In Revelation, John saw a vision of the Homecoming. He said, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (vs. 9). The table is set, the food is prepared, the party is ready! It’s going to be a literal Homecoming, the greatest party the universe has ever witnessed, and we will have a seat at the table.
What does Homecoming mean to you? It was a chilly morning. It’s 5:30 a.m. and a short taxi ride to the bus station. An hour and half bus ride to the airport. From San Francisco airport, I flew to Dallas, to catch my connection to Atlanta. It was already dark when I landed in Atlanta. My parent’s home is on the north side of Atlanta, so I took the metro rail one hour from the airport to where my father picked me up. It was a long day of travel (taxi, bus, plane and train) and I was very tired. But it was good to be back home after two years. It was good to hold mom and dad in my arms. It was good to hold their hands, look into their eyes and know that we are together again.
God wants to hold our hands. He wants to hug us tightly. He wants to look into our eyes and say, “Welcome home, forever!”
Pastor Daniel Yim is the English Ministry Pastor at the Napa Korean SDA church.