welcome home

During the long six weeks of my family member’s time in rehab, my daily schedule was completely disrupted. Not that I’m complaining. My gratitude that she is still here with us greatly outweighs any temporary inconvenience. But my days were no longer my own and many familiar and comforting things were put aside.
One of those things was my Bible. It still sat in its usual easily accessible place, but I never seemed to find time to pick it up. I still spent time with God each day – I know I could not have made it thru those days without Him – but time with my Bible was so hard to find.
The other day, facing the new normal that this accident has brought to all our lives, I decided I needed to make it a priority to reclaim some of the things that made my life my own. The first thing I did was pick up my Bible and the worn cover, the dog-eared pages, the weight, the feel as I flipped through pages filled with familiar names – Psalms, Isaiah, Matthew, John, Galatians, Philippians – brought instant comfort. Seeing bookmarks that mean so much to me marking passages that have guided, instructed and supported me quickly erased the time apart.
Then as I was reading the recommended verses from the daily devotional I use, I felt God reaffirming the choices I’ve had to make to support my family member, and welcoming me back to our times together in His word. James 1:17-18 “But whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God, the creator of all light, and He shines forever without change or shadow. And it was a happy day for Him when He gave us our new lives, through the truth of His word, and we became, as it were, the first children in His new family.” (The Living Bible)
As I read that God is without change or shadow, I thought to myself these last six weeks have been proof of that. But then, imagine! It was a happy day for God when He gave us our new lives. It wasn’t a chore, it wasn’t an obligation, it was a happy thing. We didn’t have to beg, we didn’t even have to ask. Our new lives are a gift.
What a welcome home…