My husband's son and daughter-in-law recently returned to the United States for a brief visit this summer. They have been teaching at an International School in South Africa after failing to find teaching jobs in Maine last year. The commitment is for two years and they are hoping to secure teaching positions when they return to this country for good in the summer of 2012. It is interesting to watch their reaction to being home. They are enjoying all the foods they cannot get in South Africa and are especially grateful to be able to buy Dunkin Donuts coffee! In South Africa, they are foreigners, it is not their home. This reminded me of our status as Christians. We are temporary residents waiting to return to our true home. Paul tells the Philippians, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. (Philippians 3:20) Sometimes we as Christians can get too comfortable with this present life. We have homes, food to eat, and clothes to wear. However, many of us know of people who have had their homes foreclosed and are having trouble buying food and clothing with rising prices. We are also very aware that there are people all over the world as well as in this country whose basic needs are not met. The point is that all that we experience now is temporary. The trials and circumstances of this present life which can often be painful and confusing are what is visible to us. But we have to remember that all of this is part of a fallen world. A world that is temporary and fleeting. If this is all that we have to fix our eyes on then there is no hope. But we as Christians do not lose heart because Paul tells us, "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) So what are you longing for? I pray that the excitement that my husband's son and daughter-in-law are experiencing being home in the U.S. the place of their true citizenship will be the excitement we are longing for. The excitement we will experience in our souls when we finally claim our true citizenship at home with our Lord.
Peace & Blessings In Christ,
Pastor Sheree
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