"Pilgrims and Aliens"

  How many believe they are going to die? Those who read this will think that's rather silly to ask such a question because we readily agree that we will all die at some point or the Lord will return. One of the two options are there. But many who believe they are going to die physically really don't seem to take it too seriously. After all, we have a family to raise and too many things to do. The result, we don't see ourselves as pilgrims on this earth. When we don't view ourselves as aliens (Heb. 11:9) living in this world,  so our lives get bogged down with too much business. We don't travel light! We burden ourselves with "things" and obligations. Our energy gets sapped right out of us and our focus becomes blurred. We plod through this life with the head knowledge but the reality doesn't seem to strike us.

  We look at Abraham, a man of faith. He lived as an alien in the land of promise, a man of great wealth but he never took roots. His sights, his life, his ambitions were placed in looking "for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." (Heb. 11:10)

  Jesus approached this tax collector named Levi. Levi had the money! A life secure and also hated by most. This man Levi, also called Matthew, had no clue about becoming an alien among the living and suddenly, following the words of Jesus, he left it all for life! We see the same in Peter, Andrew, James and John, all fishermen. They walked away from their livelihood, their possessions as they found the life in Jesus. As a result, all these didn't live their lives the same as others. Their view of life (and death) changed forever. They didn't speak like others, think like others and weren't interested in what others living were interested in. They weren't shaped by their surroundings but longing for the Lord shaped their thoughts and desires.

  What about us? Too much of what we see shapes our lives and not enough of the reality of the unseen, which is faith. Some can't face the day without complaining about something. Some can't face a situation without thinking the worst is bound to happen. It's all gloom and doom or gripe and fight. But for the alien, the pilgrim that sees the heavenly as reality, the life found in Jesus, they see the opportunity to gain and move forward in such situations. They see God as their Father. They see the reality of His promises and their heart is set. Those who search for the heavenly do not see what happens in this life as the end or the last say. They do not believe they are "home"! They belong to God and they have been liberated as they move toward their eternal city. Their colony is in heaven and they order their lives as such.

  Maybe we need to lighten our loads and rethink about what we are living for, what we get bogged down in. Maybe we need to shape our faith into the reality that we are passing through and not just sing it in a song! Yes, God at our birth, at our marriage, at raising our children and reaching for home knowing we are but pilgrims, NOT wanderers!!