October 02, 2022
Greetings and blessings to all of you. Did you know that God looks at us as Sojourners, Exiles, Pilgrims, or Strangers? Do you see yourselves as this? I assert that this is difficult only because we are so programmed to live in the here and now. For example when we became a Christian we think…..what will this do for my marriage? How will it help me raise my kids? How will being a believer help me to succeed in my career? Will it help me solve personal problems? Will it help me to be happy? It is nothing wrong to enjoy God’s blessings and His provisions for us….but if we do not hold loosely the things of this life and if we are not focused on God Himself and being in heaven with Him as our goal..we have a superficial faith. Being a Pilgrim is not the dominant model of our Christian life. In I Cor. 15:19 it says,” If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” That kind of faith will not give you the courage and boldness you will need when you are under persecution and/or suffering. In the LB in First Peter 2:11-12, “Dear brothers you are only visitors here. Since your real home is in heaven, I beg you to keep away from the evil pleasures of this world; they are not for you, for they fight against your very souls. “Saints to live as a pilgrim there is a mindset we should adopt; we should see the world as a temporary place; therefore, we are on enemy turf. Our sense of identity comes from our relationship to Christ and His people. We are set apart from the world; we are the recipients of God’s redeeming love. What is the one thing you do not do when you visit a foreign country? You do not settle in and get comfortable. It is only temporary. The point is…Since we are citizens of heaven {who belong to Jesus who bought us at a very high cost His own blood} …we have an allegiance and loyalty to Him. Therefore, we should live differently ..we should live by God’s Word…making us identifiable as a child of God. Pilgrims do not get attached to a country they are just passing through. They keep a transient mentality. Knowing their destination is a better place. It has been said, “Most people think that they are in the land of the living, heading toward the land of the dead. But the truth is we are in the land of the dying heading toward the land of the living.” We should live like we do not belong here. We should live like a pilgrim on a long journey ..our goal is heaven bound ..to be with our Lord.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC