(To listen to the podcast as you read, and to hear the complete song, "Welcome Home" at the conclusion, click here. To view the podcast and hear the song on YouTube instead, click here.)
In the fall of 2004, a pastor friend of mine named Don North tragically died while riding his motorcycle. Don was a father in the faith pastoring in Oroville, CA. There was a real grace on his life to reach out to leaders like me, a youth pastor in a different city. After I got the news, I sat down on my piano bench and I had one question on my heart… “why?”
As a pastor, I know that there are many things that we won’t know until we get to heaven, but it doesn’t keep me from asking the questions. I want to stay curious, seek truth and be open to what God might reveal to me about his purposes.
While sitting there, I felt compelled to ask Jesus, "What did you say to Don when he walked into heaven?" Then the words came flooding into my heart; it was the answer to my question. Those answers became the song, “Welcome Home.”
This is the Story Behind That Song, Welcome Home.
I didn’t write this song to be performed and I don’t know if I shared it with anyone for a few years. These words gave me so much comfort, I knew that someday, the song would be a gift to those dealing with grief and loss. It wasn’t until 2009 when I recorded it for my CD, Proof In the Mirror, that it truly became a blessing to others. It has been played countless times at memorial services, and I have no idea how many graveside services it’s been played at because the people at Chico cemetery felt like it was so powerful, they would use it anytime they felt like they were supposed to.
I’ll tell you about a few key lines of the song and then let you experience the song all at one time.
The key line in the song is the third line,
“You were ready to be, standing here with me.”
Jesus is explaining that the timing was now for your home going. This was the most comforting and peaceful lyric I heard from heaven. It was like God saying, it was time for Him to be promoted to heaven because HE was ready to be in the presence of God. No matter when I think he’s ready, nor when he thinks he’s ready, God gets to decide that timing, and he doesn’t make mistakes.
I might not like God’s timing, but the reminder to my soul that October day was,
“I know what’s best, even if you don’t like the timing.”
The phrase, “this is where you belong” also went right along with this high view of his sovereignty.
God is King and in Control Over the Entire Universe.
And so we can trust Him, and this mindset puts trust in God’s ability to call the shots and set the clock on important events better than we do.
One other important phrase in the song is, “this is where life begins.” We often think of heaven as being the place where we go when our life is over – but compared to our life here, heaven will be so much more rich and wonderful than the best day we experience here on earth. The moment Don passed away, He was amazed at his new heavenly surroundings with Jesus; there is no way he would ever choose to come back here to earth.
This song also contains references to Matthew 6, which tells us that we will enjoy the treasure we store up in heaven. Also a reference to finishing the race of life, one of the apostle Paul’s analogies, that he uses in 2 Timothy when he is about to be executed. He says, he has finished his race. Finishing this life well is very important to us – and Don finished well.
Another key part of this song is Jesus telling us that there are others we have led to heaven by our example, or with our words, that will be waiting in line to thank us, and they are waiting to welcome us home.
These rich glimpses of heaven made it more and more difficult for me to be angry with God for allowing this tragedy to happen.
This past year, we lost Don Rogers, another father in my life. He was promoted to his place with Jesus, and though I felt like it was far too soon – the words of this song that I played at his graveside convinced me otherwise – because Jesus sings, “he was ready to be standing be standing next to me.”
So, until the day I see both of these men again, I will rest in the knowledge that they are with Jesus in an incredible place and we will see each other again.
You probably have someone you have lost, someone who is dear to you in your mind. As you experience this song that Jesus sings to us as we enter heaven, may the truth of his sovereignty rule and reign in your heart. May the peace of knowing that God’s timing is perfect comfort you. And may we live in such a way as to share the proof of who God is in our lives, and so lead others to the same eternal home.
And so, the adventure that is “Proof in the Mirror” finishes, leaving us in the loving embrace of our Father in heaven, who says to his sons and daughters,
"Welcome Home."
Welcome Home (October 2004)
Chorus:
Welcome home, my good and faithful friend,
Welcome home, to a life that has no end
You were ready to be, standing here with me
So, my child come enter in, oh welcome home
Verse 1:
Your friends will miss your laughter
They will long for your embrace
I will be their father, giving them my grace
This is where you belong
This is where you belong
Chorus:
Welcome home, my good and faithful friend,
Welcome home, to a life that has no end
You were ready to be, standing here with me
So my child come enter in, oh welcome home
Verse 2:
I’ve prepared a place for you, where there will be no tears
You’ve been storing treasure here, for so many years
This is where you belong
This is where you belong
Bridge:
There are many you have led to this place
You will be amazed when you look at every face
Waiting here to thank you, waiting to here to welcome you home
Last Chorus:
Well done, my child, well done
You have finished the course you have run
There is so much more, that I have in store
So my child come enter in, well done
So my child come enter in, this is where life begins
So my child come enter in, welcome home
We invite you to come worship with us at Neighborhood Church in Chico.
Our Sunday Morning Worship Service at 10:00 a.m. is in the Dome.
You can live stream our service on Facebook and YouTube at 10:00 a.m.
Need encouragement? Text the word Encourage to 530.296.3689 to receive an encouraging scripture or quote from me several times a week that is sent right to your phone.
