This World Is Not My Home

Psalm 39:12 "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears; for I am a stranger with Thee, a sojourner..."

John 1:10 "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him."

1John 3:1 "See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know Him."

Have you ever moved to a new city? There’s a lonely feeling at first. Once I moved from a large city to a small town, and initially I felt a little disoriented and isolated. I was always on the lookout for someone like me. In the grocery store I noticed all the other women hoping to get a glimpse of someone I thought might have something in common with me. Whenever I pinpointed someone, I rejoiced on the inside and rushed home excited to tell my husband, "I saw someone today that I might be friends with!"

As a Christian I feel the same way. For most of my life I’ve felt like this world is not my home. I have felt temporary, merely on my way somewhere else. Actually like John Denver in his song, Rocky Mountain High, "going home to a place I’ve never been before."

Prior to knowing Jesus and accepting Him into our lives we seem to belong in this world. We can say we’re even friends with it. We find a lot about it to love. But when we love the Lord and begin following Him and growing more like Him, the world eventually becomes alien to us. Why does this surprise us? John says in his gospel that Jesus was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Therefore if we are like Him the world won’t know us either.

Do I want to be a citizen where Jesus was an alien? Do I want to love a world that hated Jesus? No, I don’t. Often I wonder if Jesus was excited, as I am, when I see someone who looks like they could be my friend. What does He look for in a friend? We know He doesn’t look on outward appearances but instead looks at the heart. Are we meek, honest, kind? Do we possess the fruits of the Spirit so He’d be proud to call us friend?

The more we love Jesus, the closer we grow to be like Him, the more alien we feel in this world that is not our home. Our hearts yearn for that other home away. In that true home there will only reside true friends, true family, our true life. We’ll be more at home there than we will ever be here in this world. Come soon, Lord Jesus, and take us home!