Luke 9:58 says, “the Son of Man has nowhere to lay
his head” (ESV). At first it may seem cruel for Jesus
to ask us to live a whole life and then not get overly
attached to anything. Death and loss are constant
reminders of the transient properties of life, protecting
us from complacency—a terrible trap like a warm
bed that’s just too perfect to leave but is ultimately
debilitating. As the beloved author C.S. Lewis put it:
“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this
world can satisfy, the most probable explanation
is that we were made for another world.”
It took a lot of dead ends for me to begin to grasp
the profundity and truth behind that statement. I
know that we are meant to enjoy ourselves in this
life, but there is a line between enjoyment and
making these things idols in the homes of our
hearts. I still struggle with that distinction, especially
as a college student “trying to find myself.”
I truly appreciate the family I have in this life, both in
California and on good ol’ College Hill, and the best
part about going abroad (at least for me) is coming
back to the ones I know and love. The funny thing
is that it took a semester abroad to understand my
true state as a vagabond. More than anything, this
news is heartening; I don’t have to settle for false
gods that will ultimately disappoint me and rob me
of peace. And every single day Jesus is there with
open arms, inviting the prodigal daughter with the
dirty, tear-stained face. In my deepest place I know
the only one that deserves my unconditional devotion
is Jesus. Because when we fail, when we have lost
all hope, when the world rejects us and we can’t
find a place to rest our heads, when we’re tired
of walking on eggshells, !