“I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams.” – “I’ll be Home for Christmas,” every singer, band and orchestra ever.
Some people are settlers.
I have a friend who was born in a farmhouse in eastern Idaho, lived his entire life in that one farmhouse, and died in that farmhouse at the age of 84. Almost eight and one-half decades of life in the very same 1,800 square foot home in eastern Idaho. He traveled a very small amount but never lived in any other home.
“And I was born in the backseat of a Greyhound bus rollin’ down highway 41”. – “Ramblin’ Man,” The Allman Brothers Band
Some people are travelers.
The Allman Brothers famous song “Ramblin’ Man” chronicles a man who was born in the backseat of a moving Greyhound bus. And his rambling just went on and on from there. I have a friend who has traveled to more than 170 countries and to some that no longer exist. There are only 195 countries in the world today.
Jesus, during His sojourn on earth, was a traveler. A severe nomad. A ramblin’ Man.
He was born while His parents were on a trip. Soon after His birth He was taken to live in a foreign country. He came home for around 30 years. Then He launched out visiting most of the cities, towns, country sides, and villages of the entire Promised Land—on foot!
During that final portion of His sojourn on earth Jesus was also a homeless Man. For months and months and months on end Jesus slept where He found Himself at bedtime. No reservation at a Holiday Inn Express. No pool and hot tub. No Ruth Chris Steakhouse.
As Rich Mullins sang, “The hope of the whole world rests on the shoulders of a homeless Man.”
As Jesus said, “The foxes have holes and the birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Luke 9:58).
Jesus wasn’t even home for the first Christmas.
The questions to ask yourself are these:
- Would I be willing to be a homeless nomad for the sake of the nomadic, homeless Man?
- Would I be willing to be on the road for Christmas for His cause?
I have a friend named Rick who says, “Jesus left a place a lot nicer than the place you live in order to do the will of the Father.”
Being home for Christmas is terrific. Being with Jesus on Christmas is terrific—whether you are home or not.