I started reading again in 1 Peter today. The first few verses stopped me. Let me share them. 1 Peter 1:1-2 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, STRANGERS IN THE WORLD, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood." For some reason, I stopped on, "strangers in the world." I needed to think about how much I am a stranger in this world. What does that mean for me? What does that look like? A timely reminder that this world is NOT my home! Where do I find solace, comfort, what am I clinging to? In John 14:23 Jesus says this, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." What a powerful statement! If I am saved, a child of God who has repented of my sins and accepted the free gift of Jesus' perfect sacrifice of blood on the cross, then I am home always and wherever with my Lord and Savior! If there is no place to lay my head, I need not worry, I am still home. What peace, what comfort, what love of my God to make His home inside of me.Lest we forget and get comfortable in this world, which I have been and will always struggle with, we need only to remind ourselves that Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." This in a section of verses about the cost of following Jesus.
Challenged to keep eternity on my mind, and God as my home, the place where He wraps my heart up in His love and where there is no sweeter a place to rest. May I appear to not be from this world...an alien, a foreigner, one on a mission. On mission in Zambia, here, or WHEREVER God may call us in the little time we have left. Oh, Lord, let me not be comfortable in this world, let me be marked as a stranger! Now, I know some of you who know me would say, well yes, you are strange. I will not deny that! Ha! Let's all be a little lost in this world remembering that we have been found!
