Just Passing Through

Chuckle: An accountant says to his doctor, "I just can't get to sleep at night." The doctor asked, "Have you tried counting sheep?" "That's the problem. I make a mistake and then spend three hours trying to find it."

Quote: "Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." --C. S. Lewis

Jesus said, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world" (John 15:19 NIV). "Our citizenship is in heaven" (Philippians 3:20 NIV).

I remember an old hymn that goes like this: "This world is not my home; I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's open door; and I can't feel at home in this world any more."

As Christians, we should grow in our faith and feel less at home in this world every day. As our society drifts further and further away from the tenets of God's Word and becomes progressively more ungodly, our eternal home with our Lord should become even more attractive. If we feel comfortable in this perverse world, we need to examine our spiritual priorities.

During my military career, I often found myself stationed in strange lands inhabited by  strange people. But I usually had plenty of food to eat, a comfortable bed in which to sleep, clothing to wear, a motor vehicle or aircraft for transportation, and all the other supplies I needed to live comfortably. But all these physical comforts did not make it home. No, home was where those I loved and those who loved me were.

As believers, we don't always feel welcome here on earth. Growing hostility towards Christians causes us to wonder if there is a place for us here. When we consider the promises of God concerning our eternal home, we should feel less and less at home in this world. Right now, our Lord is preparing an eternal home for us in His Father's house. Jesus said, "I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am" (John 14:2-3 NIV).

"A man who has a layover at an airport does not go into the bathroom, frown at its decor, and start redecorating! Why? Because he doesn't live there. He has a home in another place. While he is away he will get by with only what he absolutely needs, to have more money with which to furnish his permanent home. Why do we Christians work hard at trying to make our life in this world more comfortable? This is just the airport and we are in transit (just passing through). We should spend our energy on enhancing our eternal reward, and not worry so much about the bare walls in the airport restrooms." --Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, Edited by Michael P. Green.

Every day, we should praise our Lord with thanksgiving that He is right now preparing our home in His eternal heaven. We are members of God's household and citizens of heaven, and we should never feel truly at home this side of heaven.

Love, Jerry & Dotse