The song “Homesick” by Mercy Me is a song about the true feelings of loss felt by the lead singer of Mercy Me Bart Millard. It comes from the pain he felt after his brother-in-law was killed in a car accident. It describes how much he and his family miss their family member and how much he and they all long to see him again. How they long to go to Heaven and be home with him. We are all homesick for our loved ones at one time or another, especially when they go to Heaven and we are left here on Earth.

Losing a loved one is never easy. It can literally feel like your whole world is ripped apart when someone you love passes away. You don’t know how you will go on when they are gone physically. Maybe that person was your grandparent, brother, sister, son, daughter, mother or father, aunt or uncle. The love that you have for them can never ever be replaced. Nor should it be. It can be very difficult to imagine being on earth without them. This song is meant to express the pain, but also the hope and reminder that there is no goodbye in Christ.

The first verse and chorus is as follows: you’re in a better place. I’ve heard a thousand times. And at least a thousand times I’ve rejoiced for you. But the reason why I’m broken, the reason why I cry, is how long must I wait to be with you? I close my eyes and I see your face. If home’s where my heart is then I’m out of place.  Lord won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow? I’ve never been more homesick than now. When someone we love, dies, we always hear the phrase that they are in a better place and no longer suffering. You remember to rejoice for them, but it is often hard to rejoice for them being in Heaven, when you are the one left behind for however long on earth. It hurts when they are no longer with you and you can’t talk to them anymore.

You may often find yourself closing your eyes and seeing the person’s face. You know you place us in Heaven but you don’t know how long you must have to wait to get there and how long you have to wait to see your loved one again. You are not just homesick to see the person, but the song says you can often be homesick for Heaven itself. Who wouldn’t be homesick and question how long you have to wait to go to eternal life?

2nd verse: Help me Lord because I don’t understand your ways. The reason why, I wonder if I’ll ever know. But even if you showed me the hurt would be the same, because I’m still here so far away from home. Chorus: I close my eyes and I see your face, if home’s where my heart is then I’m out of place. Lord won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow? I’ve never been more homesick than now.

It is a hard realization sometimes, that you are man and you aren’t able to see things the way God does. You may not understand and find yourself questioning a lot of the time, how and why God chose to take your loved one. I know I’ve questioned that as well. If you are supposed to be in Heaven and that is where your heart is, because your loved one is there, then it can very easily feel like you’re out of place here on Earth. There is nothing wrong with questioning why God allows you to suffer loss and to ask Him why. Even if you knew the truth about the reasons why, the hurt would still be the same and maybe even worse, if you found out the truth, because you’d still be on Earth waiting to be reunited with the one you love, regardless. You can be so homesick for your loved one and to be reunited with them, that the pain can be almost unbearable at times.

Bridge: In Christ, there are no goodbyes. And in Christ there is no end. So, I’ll hold on to Jesus with all that I have to see you again to see you again. I have always loved this part of the song. It is a reminder that there is no goodbyes if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You can hold on to Jesus with all that you have to get to be united with Jesus in Heaven and to also be reunited with your loved one in Heaven. What an honor and privilege to know that you are saved by faith and can look forward to meeting God and seeing your loved ones again one day.

Chorus: I close my eyes and I see your face. If home’s where my heart is then I’m out of place.  Lord won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow? Won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow? Won’t you give me strength to make it through somehow?  I’ve never been more homesick than now. Remember, even though you can’t control when or where or how you will lose people you love, praise God that you have the peace and knowledge of knowing that they are waiting for you in Heaven!