STRANGERS – PILGRIMS – SOLDIERS!

STRANGERS – PILGRIMS – SOLDIERS!

Heb 11:13-16

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

2 Tim 2:4

4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

           We Americans see the world through glasses that are tinted red, white and blue! I heard from a missionary to Africa who said he would rub the American logo from his passport cover so that he would not have so much trouble at border crossings. He does not wear USA branded clothing with flags and such. He is a stranger and a pilgrim. He is a soldier in the army of the Lord.

           Strangers are visitors, guests, and aliens in a foreign country. All around they see a culture that is not their own. So it is, or rather should be, with every believer. We are to be holy as He is holy because the atmosphere of our country is holiness. We now live in a world of wickedness. Let us not forget what country is stamped on our passport!

           Pilgrims are resident foreigners for so is the rendering of the Greek word parepidemos. A pilgrim establishes a colony of his own countrymen in a foreign land. In every large city you can see places that are called Chinatown or little Italy. In our world we call them churches. These are small communities of believers each owning the citizenship of heaven.

           Soldiers are to conquer and occupy! As a soldier he must focus on his assignment which, as a believer, is to make disciples. Soldiers gain and hold ground. The soldier longs for home and endures the hardships of conflict so that he may please his Captain. He knows that one day he will be going home.

           Do you feel the strangeness of the world you are in? Does your spirit long for heaven? Do you crave those times when you may come together in a community of believers so that you may escape the culture of the world and enjoy the culture of Christianity? Don’t forget what is stamped on your passport!

Dear Father, I long for home and for the language and culture of heaven. Help me to remember that I am a stranger, a pilgrim and a soldier. AMEN