As many of you know, Ros and I have just returned from a holiday. We had a great time and came back refreshed. One thing I noticed, the longer we were away, the more ‘normal’ it felt like to be on holidays, and as a result it was harder to remember life back home. Soon I began to forget the things that had troubled me only weeks before.
But then I’d remember, because in the back of my mind was the knowledge that South Australia, and living in our caravan, wasn’t our home – it was only temporary. And that made me think of this verse:
But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. (Philippians 3:20 – 21)
If only I could harness the reality of this truth and apply it to my life when I face the problems and cares that I experience every day. If only I could bring to mind the truth of my heavenly citizenship, when I’m feeling overwhelmed by the cares of this life, and the things I need to get done.
And God reminded me that, this is exactly what the time I set aside to spend with Him is all about. It will be so much better when Jesus takes us home, however while we are here on assignment, the time we spend personally with God, in prayer and in His Word, and the time we spend worshipping together in His presence, remind us where our citizenship truly is.
And if we think about it this way, if we can give ourselves wholly to Jesus in these moments, I would think it could be as if we are transported home, to be comforted and strengthened, and to be reminded of the true reality, that we are citizens of heaven.
That means that we have a chance to get with the Father every day, to get some perspective – to remember where we belong, where our home is. To remember that we are here on assignment to represent our Father and that The Holy Spirit is in us and empowering us to do that well.
When we think about it that way – taking time out with Him gives us something better than a holiday – and we can (and should) do that every day.
