Strangers

Have you ever moved to a new place and felt like a stranger, an outsider? I know my dear friend, Becky Rice has. She was my best friend in Kalamazoo for 10 years until she moved away to Virginia . We would have lots of conversations of how hard it is to move. It sure is a lot more comfortable to stay in the same place with the same friends. But what if life is NOT about being comfortable? What if we are to feel like strangers for our entire life journey?

I found myself reading in 1 Peter this morning. What I found was the word "Stranger" and "alien" used 3 times.

1."To God's elect, STRANGERS in the world......................who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ "(did you know you were chosen FOR obedience to Jesus?)- 1 Peter 1:1


2."Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as STRANGERS here in reverent fear." 1Peter 1:17

3."Dear friends, I urge you as ALIENS and STRANGERS in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11

ALIEN- Belonging to another place, society, or person: not one's own; a member of another family, peole, group; an outsider

STRANGER- A foreigner, newcomer or outsider; a visitor or guest

FOREIGNER- situated in an improper place

OUTSIDER- one who is detached from the activities or concerns of the community in which he lives.

VISITOR- One who pays a visit; to go or come to see a place; A stay or sojourn (to stay for a time, a temporary stay) as a guest

GUEST- a recipient of hospitality at the home or table of another

TEMPORARY- to enjoy for a limited time

Interestingly, as I was looking up these words and was reading the definition for "temporary", I came across a quote under that definition:

"Do not allow any TEMPORARY (impermanent, transient) excitement to DISTRACT you from the real business." - C.S.Lewis

This was the same quote I came across a few days ago when I was looking up the word "Distract".

Are we really suppose to be strangers here? Are we really people situated in a improper place? Is it true that we are just visitors, guests that are here for a temporary time to enjoy and be the recipient of God's hospitality pointing us to Him and His goodness? Do we really belong to another place and are called to not get so caught up with the concerns of this world? (not meaning that we don't invest in the world and care deeply about what is going on around us- but rather what is spoken of in Luke 8:14:
"The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and they don't mature"....the concerns of this world don't choke us......we remain untouched because of our hope for heaven)

Well- according to Scripture, this is absolutely true. Listen to these other words of His:

" 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." Hebrews 11:16

" Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am..." John 14: 1-3

" Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 5: 1-5

"Don't store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where theives do not break in and steal." Matthew 6:19 & 20

Although I love my home, my husband, my children, my mom and dad, my brother and sister, my in-laws,and my friends DEEPLY, I hold them very loosely believing with all my heart that THIS IS NOT MY HOME. Although they are INCREDIBLE GIFTS from my father above they are given to me to enjoy for a time and to point me to the goodness of God- and make me want HIM more. I live with an ache in my soul, a groaning that Ephesians speaks of. I long for a place where there is no more pain, where it is ALL love, ALL light, where everything is right and "God is ALL in ALL." I often feel like a stranger, a foreigner- a woman who is living in an improper place. My home is heaven. There is no place like home.

May I encourage you to not get too comfortable on this earth. According to Scripture, you ought to get use to feeling like a stranger here. This is not your home. You were made for a different place, a better place. My children have all awoken, some are throwing up, some are crying and need their mom. I've gotta go. Blessings from Bombadil. May your soul be watered and may you water another's soul. Kristy Joy Link