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When your home key quits working

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Psalm 43:3

My home key on the laptop quit working a few days ago.

When I want to get to the top of a webpage, I press home and expect to arrive there. But every time I tried, nothing happened. No movement.

I was stuck where I was.home key

Ever happen to you? You wander out a little too far—either physically or spiritually—then you realize you need to get back home. But your old ways of arriving there no longer work.

An old Jewish tale says that a young man wanted to learn how to shoe horses. He took detailed notes from his master teacher. Yet when he later tried it alone, he could accomplish nothing.

He had failed to record the first step, the most important step—light the fire.

When you fail to find your way home, remember the first step—light the fire.

Don’t get hung up in details.
Fix your eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus will not only be the light to show you the way (John 8:12), you’ll soon discover that he is the Way itself (John 14:5-6).

The way home.

I learned to fix my computer home key by backing off the details. It seems I had inadvertently pushed it into caret browsing mode earlier by hitting the F7 key. That sent the cursor through text very detailed, one character at a time, instead of by tabs or pages, or home and end.

By pushing F7 again, I got back to the big picture. Pushing the home key now works again.

When you get turned around, look for the light.
Focus on the big picture.
The Way. Jesus. 

He’ll get you back home every time.

You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11

* * *

What helps you return home when you get turned around?

Comments (18)

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Always refreshed when I stop by here Lisa. Thanks for the encouragement from the Word and the reminder to focus on the right keys of life! :)
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
Keep doing all you can to stay refreshed, Sandy. You are carrying such a load and I know Jesus is staying right beside you, and many of us are too through prayer. You are special.

Oh yes...that HOME key...loved the way you presented to your readers how we can stray from Jesus being our focus...and how we see the whole picture again when we go back HOME.

What is my cue to return HOME? A recurring theme becomes the thread that weaves itself through my life from different sources. By the time I've realized what is taking place I realize that I've strayed from THE path...that HE wants to guide me through...directly back to HIM.

Thank you for your thoughtful posts, Lisa.

Love you.
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
God works through recurring themes for me too. It’s a sure way to get my attention. I’m trying to be extra attentive to see what recurring theme keeps popping up for next year’s spiritual resolutions.

Hope you’re having a blessed day. Love you too.
God is the only thing that ever brings me back as well. I stand in the shadow of His wings then lose focus, concentration. I then run from the shadow of HIs wings and try to take on the world by myself... I guess you know how that ends up. Soon I turn, look around lost, and see His hand coming back to cover me, though I don't deserve it.... The story of our lives.
Good one.
My recent post THE BEAT GOES ON
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
Yes, we do tend to repeat that cycle, don't we? Reminds me of the Jewish nation in the Old Testament: find themselves in trouble; cry out to the Lord (we're sorry! we're sorry!); he forgives; they're faithful for awhile; then they disobey and find themselves in trouble again. Repeat.

So thankful his patience never runs out. Mine would. ;-)
So, so great, Lisa. I want to respond the way you did if my keyboard ever stops working. :}
He is the Way Himself...
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
It’s kinda funny though, Monica, how long it took me before I sought answers for why the key wasn’t working. Another analogy for me in that… Sometimes it takes me awhile to realize I’ve gotten myself lost before I wake up and look around me. Yes, He is the Way—one of my favorite descritions of Jesus.
You know -- I don't think I ever even noticed the Home key, and If I did, I certainly didn't know what it was for. The things you learn reading blogs. :-) Wouldn't Dorothy have loved one of those in Oz? :-)

Love the analogies. There was a song a while back called "Back to Bethel." I've always loved how Jacob went back to the place where he met God. Though I don't have a physical place I go back to, going back over the truths in His Word helps get me back "Home."
My recent post Book Reviews: By Seaching: My Journey Through Doubt Into Faith and In the Arena
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
I hadn’t thought of Dorothy in this context. Ha. Yes, the things you learn reading blogs.

I haven’t heard of “Back to Bethel” so I looked it up.

“Back to the Bible, the true Living Word,
Sweetest old story that ever was heard,
Back to the joy-life my soul longs to know,
Bethel is calling, and I must go.”
nice metaphor...sounds like something i would do...hit the wrong key and lock myself out of getting home...its like that hotel chain that always leaves a light on for you...you just have to find and follow it...
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
Yes, Motel 6 (I think). :-) So glad God always leaves the light on for us. And in the darkest of nights, even the tiniest of light shows up.
Terrific post, Lisa! Love it! Thanks, sister! Keep up the good work! Multitude of blessings!
My recent post Choosing to Be Led by the Spirit
Great analogy -- great truth. Thanks for taking what could be another annoying computer interaction and turning it into something meaningful.
I'm a Mac, so no Home key. I love the God of second chances I serve. i love his welcome home when I think I know it all and fall. And when I come down the road to home, He sees me coming from so far off and welcomes me home.
1 reply · active 699 weeks ago
So Macs don’t have home keys? I didn’t know that. Another thing I learned this week.

Now you’ve got me thinking about the prodigal son and his return home, how happy his father was. We have so many good images we can slip ourselves into, thanks to the Word!
oh i like this. home sweet home... that's where i long to be, and i fear i've gotten off course. thank you for this reminder dear lisa. you are such a minister to our weary hearts.
Not too many places I can get some tech tips combined with a wonderful spiritual analogy...well done Lisa!

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