This is not my home

The people of God often have a deep sense of not belonging, of not fitting in this world where we live. We are misunderstood, poorly represented, disregarded, and the good we do is either ignored or credited to the wrong source or power.

The reason? We don’t belong here. As Tozer says, “Earth was fit and proper to be the eternal dwelling place for that creature who was made by God’s hand, but it is not appropriate nor sufficient to be the eternal dwelling place of that redeemed being who is begotten of the Holy Spirit.”

Those of us who have been granted redemption have also been transformed to the point where we still like being alive here, but we know that this is nothing compared to what is truly ours for eternity.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4–7)

Love and mercy motivated God to take me from being dead in sin to alive in Christ. His grace raised me up with Christ and seated me with Christ in heavenly places. Oh yes, my body is still here and Christ lives in me, but I also live in Him — and because of that I am also alive where He is!

This sounds like a fantasy except that it is a shared understanding, a shared way of thinking. All those who belong to Jesus know something of what it means to be alive in Him. Millions of people know this and are joyful because of it.

This morning, I asked the Lord to bless me with whatever I most needed to hear. Yesterday was a hard day of prayer and testing. I was anxious for my health (this time, my eye and other abnormalities) yet knew that worry always fuels worry. With the above verses and the voice of the Holy Spirit, the Lord tells me not to be anxious. I have a heavenly dwelling place and riches to come. Whatever befalls me here is nothing compared to what is mine in eternity.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, You always know how to put a song in my heart. Truth and Your promises give me joy, and the joy of the Lord is always my strength. Whatever lies before me this day is just another step toward the place that I have with You in the coming ages — where I will see You face to face!