Just traveling through

"Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls." 1 Peter 2:11

Between running the marathon and exploring the city by metro and on foot, my son and I spent so much time traveling the streets of Boston this week I joked that we could have filed for temporary residency. Inevitably as much as we enjoyed our time there, we soon found ourselves longing to be back in the Ozarks, back to the place Missouri listed us as permanent residents. But that great longing to go home paled in comparison with the intense desire to claim our true and final permanent residence in Heaven. Until that day comes though, I know that we, like all Christians, are just passing through. Does the certainty of that then mean you and I can just sit back and wait in anticipation for it? Oh no! While you and I are here, alive and traveling through this world, each one of us has a purpose, a job to do.

When it comes to purpose consider this-a temporary resident is most commonly defined as: a person who seeks nonpermanent or short-term entry into a country or place for a specific purpose but has a permanent residence elsewhere. That surely defines you and me then doesn't it? You and I are "temporary residents and foreigners" of this world here for a purpose... to glorify God and to be a witness to others. Since that is our job, we would do well to remember Peter's warning to keep away from worldly desires that challenge or contend against our very souls, those things that might tempt us to stray from our purpose and/or entice us to take up our permanent residence here.

As followers, we can have only one permanent home. Which one have you chosen today? As for me, I will agree with Billy Graham and humbly say, "My home is in heaven. I’m just traveling through this world." Can you say the same?

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word that tells us that our permanent residence is waiting for us in Heaven. Help us to be so focused on that destination that we might not put too much effort into acquiring things or chasing after foolish possessions or titles this world finds important. Help us to stay focused on the job we are here to do that we might do it well and hear the words good job faithful servant when we arrive at our final stop. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

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Where I belong - Building 429
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