The Meaning of Home

Home. What does the word mean to you? For me, it’s a word packed with warmth, security, and the undeniable comfort of familiarity. As someone who has spent years traveling to speak in different churches, I’ve been blessed by the kindness of many hospitable hosts who went above and beyond to make me feel at home. Yet, no matter how gracious the welcome, no matter how plush the accommodations, nothing ever quite matches the feeling of stepping through my own front door.

There’s something about home that tugs at the soul. While trudging through the final legs of a grueling journey, I can’t tell you how many times my mind has clung to one simple thought: I just want to get home. Home is where my family is. Home is where my dog greets me as if I’ve been gone for years—even if I just ran to the store. Home is my backyard, my refrigerator stocked with my favorite snacks, and my well-worn, perfectly contoured bed. It’s where I can kick off my shoes and truly relax.

Even the famous aren’t immune to the pull of home. Harrison Ford was once asked where he’d like to go next. His reply? “I just want to go home.” The weight in his voice and the longing in his eyes spoke volumes. The glitz of Hollywood, the thrill of adventure, and the adoration of fans all pale in comparison to the simple joy of being home.

I once had a wealthy friend who, out of the kindness of his heart, flew me and a friend to Israel to teach. Sometime later, he whisked us off to Japan to distribute gospel tracts. Years later, when I found myself in his city, he asked me, “Where in the world would you like to go?” Without hesitation, I smiled and said, “I just want to go home.”

This is why my heart broke when thousands of people lost their homes in the devastating California wildfires. Imagine enduring a crisis—a terrible car accident, a sudden health scare, or some deep personal loss. In those moments, when the world feels like it’s unraveling, all you want to do is go home. But for those who lost everything, that safe haven no longer exists. It’s gone, reduced to ashes.

The Bible speaks deeply about the significance of home, not just in the earthly sense but in the eternal:

For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. (Hebrews 13:14)

No matter how comfortable our earthly home may be, there is a greater home awaiting us—one where there will be no more tears, no more loss, no more longing.

King David understood this yearning well. He wrote,

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. (Psalm 90:1)

Home is more than a structure of brick and wood. It’s a place of refuge, a place of belonging, a place where we are truly known.

And Jesus Himself gave us the ultimate promise of home:

“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

No matter how wonderful—or how temporary—our earthly homes may be, there is a permanent home waiting for us in the presence of God.

So, whether you are heading home after a long journey or dreaming of an eternal home where peace and joy never fade, know this: Home is not just a place. It is a promise. And it is worth longing for.