Only Jesus can make a person into a citizen of heaven. When you put your trust in him, you receive your new citizenship. If you can point to a process of bringing your life under his jurisdiction, then you are one of heaven’s citizens. So live as one. Make no apologies for your loyalties. Wear the colors of your native land proudly. Live by heaven’s values in whatever place you currently reside. Make your home and church into little colonies of your heavenly homeland. You don’t have to be hostile to those whose citizenship is elsewhere; in fact, the policy of your King is that you should be loving. But, you can’t be like them. You don’t have to be different for the sake of being different, but you shouldn’t fit in all that well, either. After all, your citizenship is to another homeland.
We can’t live any longer as if we have no memory of where our homeland is. The scriptures remind us of who we are and where we belong. The Spirit of God living in us sings the songs of our heavenly homeland.
When our Savior comes and it’s time for us to see our home, may we not be strangers. Until then, let’s carry a picture of our homeland in our hearts. May it be as familiar as our own backyard. May we be ready when our “hometown hero” comes!
(Source: worshipgifs, via spiritualinspiration)
But your confusion is only for the night, when the day breaks, you will be restored far beyond your greatest imagination, blessed beyond measure. So hold fast, seek first, and remember, your trial, your pain, your sadness, it lasts only for the night.
"It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver."
- Niccolo Machiavelli (via quotestuff)
