13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (italics mine)
"Foreigners and strangers on earth." We understand we don't belong here. As long as we reject the ways of this world -- as we are instructed in Romans 12:2 -- we have declared that we are, indeed in the world, but not of it.
As Christians, we know we are citizens, not of the Kingdom of the Earth, but of the Kingdom of God. A higher, greater kingdom. Here, we'll have trouble. Money trouble, trouble with work, or with other people. People may not like us. Yet, because we are visitors here, we are Christ's ambassadors, sent to show His love to a lost world. And someday, our work here will be done, and we'll go again to our true home, seated at the feet of our Lord.
One of my favorite songs, by Petra, from a long, long, long, time ago... :)
ReplyDeleteWe are pilgrims in a strange land
We are so far from our homeland
With each passing day it seems so clear
This world will never want us here
We're not welcome in this world of wrong
We are foreigners who don't belong
(Chorus)
We are strangers, we are aliens
We are not of this world
We are envoys, we must tarry
With this message we must carry
There's so much to do before we leave
With so many more who may believe
Our mission here can never fail
And the gates of hell will not prevail
Jesus told us men would hate us
But we must be of good cheer
He has overcome this world of darkness
And soon we will depart from here
Funny....the same song was in my head, too! :)
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