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New Year’s greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
I hope you and your family had a wonderful break and opportunity to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The excitement of a new year ahead is upon us as we begin our second semester: a new year and a new start.
Listening to the news in small doses over break, I admit to becoming preoccupied with a discussion I heard about being global citizens and having a world with countries without borders. There has also been quite a bit of news about how permeable our own national borders are and the millions who’ve come to America through these borders.
I learned there has been a redefining of what it means to be a global citizen in this news piece. Like everything else, terms I once thought meant one thing are now sometimes politicized, meaning something more. As I listened, I learned a lot about what is now being described as a global citizen. According to the speaker, it aims to create a world order with one government, social justice, fighting poverty, global consumption, equality, advocacy, activism, and a flexible mindset, among many other items. As each of those was unpacked, my mind was boggled and overwhelmed at how eclectic and all-encompassing a global citizen has become, and it got me thinking about citizenship.
In today’s bible verse, Paul reminds the Philippians of a truism for us Christians. He reminds us our citizenship is not so much in a nation here on earth but in a greater place, heaven. Paul describes it as a place we are so eager to get to that we eagerly wait for our Savior, Jesus Christ, to come and bring us home. Our citizenship and home are in heaven.
In contrast, our citizenship on earth belongs to a country and is afforded the rights and protection of that country. In the United States, we are blessed to have a government that has established inalienable rights based on God’s Word. We adopt the culture and practices primary to the country or nation to which we belong. Everybody on earth is born into the kingdom of this world, in which Satan rules. It doesn’t take much to look around the country and world to notice that Satan indeed rules, instigating and creating division, chaos, and having his evil way.
Not true in the kingdom of heaven. To be adopted as a citizen into the family of God means that we become citizens of an eternal kingdom where our Father is the King. There is no disorder in His Kingdom, only eternal peace. God grants us citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven when we become “new creatures” in Jesus Christ and our old citizen dies as Paul says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
As earthly citizens, we may feel alone. As Christians, we are not alone. God sends the Holy Spirit to be with us, and our bodies become transformed; our sinful, worldly desires transformed into those that glorify God, as Paul reminds us in Romans, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2.
We are to be homesick, longing for Heaven. I recall when I was about four or five years old, my parents planned a vacation to see family in central Nebraska. We visited my grandparents and many aunts, uncles, and cousins for a week. The time was really a blast, but as we readied to leave, my older sister devised a brilliant plan for us both to stay for two more weeks when an uncle would be traveling through Denver and could return us home. I was great for a day or two and then became so focused on returning home with my parents that I was very homesick for the rest of the stay. I tried to call them, but in those days, long-distance calls were expensive and had to be limited and very brief. I remember how miserable I was being away from home for that length of time for the first time. In the same way, we are to be homesick, longing to be in Heaven with our Father.
In the meantime, what shall we do, Saints? Just be homesick? No, we should consider ourselves ambassadors as citizens on this earth until our Father sends Jesus to bring us home. Paul says it this way, “that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:19-20. We boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel! Amen.
We pray: Gracious and merciful Lord, it is easy for us to become content and confused as citizens of this world. Forgive us as we all fall short and fall into sin daily, failing to long for heaven. Thank You for claiming us as citizens of heaven through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Savior, who died for our salvation. While we are homesick and long for heaven, help us to boldly proclaim the mystery of the gospel. Thank You for keeping us as we come and go, serving You daily, and lifting our eyes to heaven. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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