Over the last few months, we have had the privilege of having a foreign exchange student in our home. It is funny how you start to see entirely “normal” things in everyday American life in a new way as we see them through her eyes. Explaining phrases that we think nothing of but actually lack any logical explanation has made me think twice before I open my mouth! Some friends have a student also, and their student has drawn a few interesting conclusions. While our friends are faithful to pray before dinner at home, when they took him to Burger King, they all just kind of jumped in eating fries, etc. until he stopped them with the question, “So we don’t pray over Burger King?” As our family heard the story, we all laughed about the need to probably pray a double blessing over Burger King, but the spiritual connection to the reality of being a foreigner has been resonating in my heart.
In a spiritual sense as children of God, we are strangers, foreigners in this world. More than once Peter admonishes us to remember that we do not belong in this world. (I Peter 1:17, 2:11) There are times that this thought is relieving! As my heart breaks for the brokenness and pain of sin around me, I am thankful there is something more. But sometimes I struggle with this concept. Just like our exchange student struggles to merge two cultures, I find myself trying to blend it all together, to make it all a little easier and simple. Sometimes the on-going burden of living as a stranger in this world feels like it is too much. I can easily slip into doing life here with little thought of Who I belong to or how that reality should be affecting my life. My citizenship and home is in Heaven with my incredible Savior and King! (Philippians 3:20) I am to be His ambassador as I walk on this earth. This should have an impact on each moment of every day!
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Just as Mesu shared in her blog this past week, the concept of intentionality is key to this on-going process of renewing my mind and living as a servant citizen of God’s Kingdom. I have to be intentional in my worship, in my parenting, in my friendships, in my work and intentional in claiming the power of my King to live a changed life!
- Celebrate! As a child of God, your citizenship, your “belonging” is in Heaven. What an amazing thought. Let your heart be filled with this reality.
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Klicia, bless you for being hospitable to strangers and making them family. Thanks also for sharing your experiences here. I was touched by the “Don’t we pray over Burger King?” remark. While we DO pray over Burger King I realized there are times we don’t pray before TV dinners. 🙁 Shame on us.
I have recently written some historical stories about people coming from other countries to settle in America. It has opened my eyes to how different things are for those not raised here. I never thought of applying it to our belonging in heaven, not here. Something to think about!
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Makes me think of when our daughter Emily spent a year in Brazil as an exchange student in high school. It changed her whole outlook on the world. I know God doesn’t change or “learn,” so when Jesus came to earth, was it simply to show US that He knows what we go through? …and I bet He would have prayed over Burger King AND TV dinners! ha! 😉