The Bible is filled with stories of individuals and groups who were displaced, either because they chose or were forced to live somewhere other than their original home. It began with Adam and Eve leaving the Garden of Eden, but it doesn’t stop there. Abraham went to live in Canaan, a land where he knew no one. Jacob took his family on the run from his own brother. The Israelites escaped Egypt and then wandered in the desert for forty years before settling in Canaan. Naomi moved to Moab because of a famine, and then Ruth moved back to Israel with her. David hid in caves while Saul searched for him, Elijah was an outcast, and Daniel was taken to a foreign land as a teenager. The ultimate displacement was when Jesus, God the Son, left heaven and came to earth as a man.
I was pondering these people as recent events have unfolded. Even as an older Christian, the past year has been disorienting, unsettling, and even depressing at times. We have endured (and continue to endure the effects of) a pandemic. Both orderly protests and chaotic riots have taken place. In the United States, we reached the end of a contentious election, yet political tensions continue. Life for many of us has been perplexing, as it is for displaced people. But remembering these stories from the Bible can encourage us as we grapple with uncertainty.
And in the midst of all this trouble, I have to remind myself often of how God views me. While I’m certainly a citizen of the United States and live every day in this realm, the truth doesn’t stop there. Philippians 3:20 encourages us to recall that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.†Heaven is never characterized as confusing, disorienting, or depressing. It is a place of great peace and joy. Heaven is secured for us, forgiven followers of Jesus, through the cross. Jesus even told His disciples, “You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world†(John 15:19).
Citizenship in heaven doesn’t eliminate our problems on earth. But it gives us perspective that while we live on earth, our hope is with Christ beyond this world. When Jesus returns, He is going to bring heaven to earth and make them one. This troubled world will one day be made new and whole, and we will live together with Jesus forever! • Mike Hurley
• What trials have you faced in the past year or two? Which were the most difficult for you?
But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20 (NIV)
Read Verses:
Josh.1.6-Josh.1.9|Exod.1.1-Exod.1.21
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