HEBREWS 11:13-16 – These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers, pilgrims, and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

THEME OF THE DAY. STRANGERS, PILGRIMS, EXILES FAR FROM HOME. Today’s scripture is familiar. It is in the middle of what is known as “The Hall of Fame of Faith” chapter in our Bibles. Take time soon to read and pray through it. It is healthy exercise when we grow weary in fighting the good fight and running the difficult race. Such a reading encourages by reminding us other Christians persevered to the end before us and so shall we. In addition to encouragement, there is another important help in this section of scripture. Actually, it is more than a help. It is a necessity for spiritual growth. And what might this be? The mindset of a stranger, pilgrim, and exile in foreign land not yet home. If we are to achieve any level of Christ-likeness, this type of thinking is a must. Without it, no growth, not even a desire for growth will be in us because the world and all its attractions have gripped our hearts and blinded our eyes to the necessity of thinking and living like a stranger, pilgrim, and exile far away from home.

So with the opening paragraph being an introduction, here are two applications helping us to develop a stranger, pilgrim and exile mindset as we live in this fading world.

First, it is a reasonable expectation for a Christian to live like a stranger, pilgrim and exile far away from home because our lives are not in this world. Yes, physically we are, but in God’s eyes and the true realm of life, the spiritual, we are not here. The Apostle Paul reminded the Colossians and now us of this truth – If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3). If our lives are hidden with Christ in God, where is that location? Heaven. It is only logical and reasonable for Christians to live all of life oriented from where their lives are – heaven. A worldly-minded Christian is a biblical contradiction.

Next, it is practical for a Christian to live like a stranger, pilgrim and exile far away from home because doing so promotes sanctification, or our development into the holy image of Christ. The Apostle John writes – See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure (1 John 3:1-3). Pay attention to his last words. What purifies or makes a person holy? Not a bunch of external rules. No, it is fixing our minds, hearts, and lives on our adoption in God’s family and of our Elder Brother Jesus’ return. That is how strangers, pilgrims, and exiles think and live; always looking for Him to come and take them home. Start pondering this event regularly, and watch how much spiritual growth occurs. Conversely, don’t think about it and watch how quickly we lose the stranger, pilgrim and exile mindset to be replaced by worldliness.

Friends, we are only passing through this difficult and dangerous world. We are strangers, pilgrims, and exiles far away from home. Constantly remembering this will protect us from falling prey to sins of the flesh and the strongholds of sin coming from an alluring world.

PRAYER: “Father, help me to live in this world with an eye always on the next.”

QUOTE: “We will fix our affections in one of two places; heaven or earth. Our choice determines spiritual growth or not.”