Time To Come Home

 A couple of weeks ago, my family and I had the most interesting scenario play out at our house -  something that, in all the years we've lived here, we'd never experienced before. One Sunday afternoon, upon returning from church, we looked out our backyard windows and saw... a beautiful, big, black chicken?!! Over the years we've seen many black bears, moose, foxes, birds, porcupines, squirrels, and other nature out those windows, but never a chicken!  

We guessed that perhaps one of our neighbors who has had chickens had one of their birds get out, so we began the search to see if we could locate the chicken's home. For at least a couple of hours that evening, we called, knocked on a few doors, and slowly kept whittling down the list of who might own the chicken. One family even came by to see if it was their's but alas, it wasn't and the search was still on. Nightfall came. We thought we'd done all we could but determined that, if we saw the chicken again, we would reach out to the last couple of homes left, and one in particular seemed to be a logical choice. 

Sure enough, the next afternoon, the chicken was back. Probably attracted by the fact that it could eat some food at our place thanks to the treats we give our squirrels and the seed that falls to the ground from our bird feeder, the little hen had returned. So the search began again. This time though, after just a few minutes, another family came and confirmed with joy that it was, indeed, their chicken. We were so glad that it got back with its owners, of course! But then we asked how long the bird had been missing, and the lady told us a bear had gotten into her coop awhile ago and some of the chickens had scattered and she calculated the date would've been... July 22nd?! At first we thought maybe she had misspoken and meant to say June 22 but... nope. She confirmed it had been gone for eleven long months, and they had given up hope that they'd ever see it again.

We were shocked! One, that we hadn't seen the bird in that time and two, that the bird had managed to make it through the winter and around all the predators that share the same woods.  She said the breed is an Icelandic one, so it was able to weather the winter probably better than most. Still, as we stood there talking, the chicken had fallen asleep in the arms of the lady's son. "She's so tired," the lady added. I probably would be too if I had fought through a snowy, cold, Alaskan winter and evaded bears and owls and oh, so many things for nearly a year! The owners were so grateful, and we felt amazing we could help out! 

In the hours and days that followed, I began to think about how we're all, in a sense, on a quest to get un-lost in some way. We are all trying, through our lives, to find those missing parts of ourselves, to heal those hidden wounds, to survive the dark and chilly seasons, and find our way back to where we belong. Our whole story is of us trying to return home to our true selves, to the trusted circle around us, and to our place with God. We are all looking, in our deepest soul, for home. 

We've all had our wandering years where we've felt vulnerable and forgotten the direction to head... where we've lost our way and need someone to reunite us with the love and care we need and long for. We've all had moments when we've dishonored or forgotten our true selves as God created us to be. We've all felt alone and watched our circle of supposedly trusted people blow up around us... if we even had one at all. We've become separated from our Creator and have no idea, on our own, how to find our way back to the One who is Himself our home-place. 

I realized that this feel-good story that took place in our backyard was a reminder from Him that it's time to come home. Whether it's lost sheep or lost chickens, God is on the hunt to bring us back to the true essence of our purpose and place of belonging. We are on a journey of epic proportions, surviving much along the way; all the while, calling for help and trying to figure out where to go. But, just like that little black bird, once God finds us and pulls us in, we know we can relax. The fight is over. Here is where we've always longed for. This is home. We belong. 

If the Savior leads us to green pastures and still waters... if He restores our soul... there is a rest from the quest once we've been found. We are tucked into His loving arms and given the care we've needed and wanted all along. The lady came back the next day to give us some fresh eggs in return for our help and to let us know the chicken as assimilated back into the brood just fine and gotten some much-needed sleep the previous night. She also told us the chicken had never had a name but now it does: Bear. I suppose that's fitting, given it's experience. And I also had to smile because what does God do when He finds us? Rename us and call us His own. 

To all the wanderers and survivors who are struggling to continue... 

To all the seekers and questioners and doubters who wonder if God loves, cares, or is real...

To all the fearful, worrisome, and anxious ones who wrestle to believe... 

To all the hurt and wounded ones who have never felt safe enough to hold their scars...

This is the time to come home. God is looking for you, and He loves you enough to not stop until you are where you belong. This is the place where you discover your true self. This is the space where you find the community you most need. And this is the grace you find out is yours when you give up the fight and fall back into His loving arms and rest. If you know you're lost, then join the club because all of us are trying to bring those wandering parts of ourselves back home. You are not alone. And Somebody cares for you enough to not quit looking for and gently calling you back. 

"Are you tired?" He says, "Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-30). 

That is the invitation. And now is the acceptable time, just as it's always been. So let's come close to Him and let Him gather us in His gentle arms and hold us tight. Let's let it all go. And today, let's all come home.