Jesus Will Carry Us Home

“I’ll be home for Christmas,” Bing Crosby first crooned in 1943. For many, this season brings thoughts of home to our minds—remembering the joys of the past or longing to feel at home in the present. Psalm 23 reminds us that these longings to feel at home will only truly be met when we find ourselves at home with God.

In the final verse of Psalm 23, David provides the final reason we should trust Jesus as our most favorite shepherd and friend. In verse 6, he describes a pilgrimage that ends at the House of the Lord. Along the journey goodness and mercy follows. The words “follow me,” as our English translations puts it, are a bit misleading. Derek Kidner points out in his commentary that the phrase most literally means “to carry.” Therefore, according to this psalm, the Lord, in his goodness and grace, is daily carrying him home.

Our daughter, Amelia, is 5 years old, and is as sweet as they come. Her favorite thing is to ride on my shoulders. One time we were walking to lunch and she really wanted me to carry her.  Honestly, I really didn’t want to. She asked me a couple times and I said, “no.” So then, she ran right in front of me, slammed on the breaks nearly causing a four person pile up, stuck her arms straight up in the air, and said, “Carry me!” So I did. The entire way to the restaurant. In Psalm 23, the Lord carries us not to a restaurant, but to His house. The house of the Lord envisioned in Psalm 23 is picked up in the last book of the Bible.

The final book of the Bible explains that the house of the Lord is a new creation. That forever home will be more alive than anything we’ve ever experienced. Mountains will sing. Trees will clap their hands. The new creation will be like a Garden City where God will dwell with his people forever. For us who are trusting Jesus this is where goodness and mercy is carrying us.

Let’s take ourselves to the ages of ages when all things have been made new. Imagine with me that we are all filing through the Great Pearlies into the Garden City, and standing there is an angel taking roll and asking, “how was your journey here?” Only one answer will suffice: “The whole way Jesus carried me.” You see, death reminds us that we can’t get there on our own. Being good, religious, or voting the “right way” doesn’t get you there. We can’t get ourselves there. The whole way Jesus must carry us; shouldered on his goodness and mercy.  So let’s say to Jesus from our hearts by faith what Amelia often says to me, “Carry me.”