7-23-2023

Good Morning All,

           Philippians 3:20;” But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

    There is a story about an older couple who had spent their entire life working with the poor people of a foreign land.  After 40 years of tireless and anonymous work, they returned to the United States.  As luck would have it, they were on the same ship as a famous Hollywood couple.  As the ship docked, all the media went running up to the Hollywood couple, leaving the older couple to shuffle off the ship.  As they went, the husband turned to his wife and apologized for not making more of their lives.  “I never took you to any place exciting; we never did anything to be noted for.  If we had, maybe everyone would be excited when we got home.”  As he walked with his head down and dejected, his wife turned to him and said, “We aren’t home yet.”

    We are not home yet.  Heaven is our home.  It is where our welcome, our celebration waits.  This is why we do not worry about worldly accolades.  Jesus tells us that those who seek worldly fame already have their glory.  Our glory waits for us in heaven.  As we toil here on earth, doing the tasks that the Lord has given us; we can do them with joy knowing that the Father is glorified by them.  We don’t seek the awards from man; we only receive the love of the Father. 

    So, as we serve the Lord and look around, we don’t need to be jealous of others, envious of their notoriety.  We know that what we do is what the Lord wants us to do and while we do these tasks; we are witnessing to our faith in Jesus as our Savior.  We can take great joy in seeing that all those who we speak to we can speak of the love of Jesus.  This can be to hundreds of people or to your grandchild while reading a bedtime story.  This can be over the radio or through the internet or it can be over a cup of coffee with the neighbors.  There is never a time when witnessing the eternal love of Jesus is trivial or unimportant.  Every soul is to be reached; everybody is to hear the story that their sins are forgiven.  For in the end ours is not the accolades or the wonderful retirement here on this earth; our citizenship is in heaven.  Our hope, our future is assured by and with our Savior. It is through Him that we will have glory.

    It was once written that grace is glory started and glory is grace completed. We live in grace, which is glory begun. But the day will come when that grace, that amazing grace, will be fulfilled and the glory of Jesus will complete in our heavenly home with Jesus. Then we are truly home.

 Dearest Father, remind us that our hope is in you and our citizenship is in heaven.  Keep us from jealousy or envy for those around us.  Keep us safe in your saving arms.  In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret