Where is Your Hometown?
I hope you enjoyed last week’s post Where do I fit in? Do you ever feel like a stranger in your own skin? Starting over in a new place can be exciting but also difficult. I have to learn where the kid’s new school is, where the grocery store is, the vet, my work, the park, and anywhere else we need to go. When I look around nothing is familiar and feel like a foreigner in a new land.
Starting over means meeting new people and asking simple questions like ‘Where are you from?’ Being in the military, these simple questions can be tricky to answer! There is not a short and easy answer to give. I was born and grew up on the east coast, moved to AZ for 10 years, then lived in Alaska now we live in Colorado. So I guess I’m from the east coast and lived in AZ for most of my married life.
We all come from different walks of life. Some of us grew up in the inner city and are used to taking the subway or bus for transportation. Some of us grew up in neighborhoods and walked to school. We knew all of our neighbors by name and even got together once in awhile. Some of us grew up in the suburbs where the nearest neighbor was a half a mile away, but you could still call on them to borrow a cup or milk or an egg. Whatever walk of life we come from, all of us come from somewhere that we can call our hometown. There may be circumstances in life that don’t allow us to visit or go back to our hometowns, but we always know where our home is when God’s love resides in our hearts.
This is not our home.
Philippians 3:20 (NIV), “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,”
Paul was reminding the Philippians in this verse as Christians, we are merely aliens living in this world, our citizenship is in heaven not here. We live in the world but are not of the world. He encourages them, even when there is trouble in this world, we are in union with the things of Christ, not of this world.
1 Chronicles 29:15 (NLT), “We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace.”
As Christians, we can rejoice because the life we live here on earth is only but a moment compared to the eternal life we live in heaven. Our lives will only be a trace of God’s creation once we go to heaven. There are so many times I miss my family and friends. I wish I lived in the same town as them and yearn to be closer to them. I am reminded that wherever I live this is only my temporary home–heaven is my final destination.
1 Peter 2:11-12 (NLT), “Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.”
In this new life and town we are living, God reminds me, it doesn’t matter where I reside, His love always brings me home.
In a world filled with hate and violence–God’s love brings us home.
In a world filled with destruction–God’s love brings us home.
In a world filled with devastation–God’s love brings us home.
Home is where the heart is.
I don’t have to wait to live in my hometown to feel at home. Wherever God’s love is present, I am always home. Peter warns us in this verse to not give into the evil worldly desires but to rise up against them, so others will know our actions are from God. Starting over in a new town can be hard, but I don’t feel like a stranger when God’s love resides in my heart. His love turns a stranger into a friend. He is the one who provides for my every need.
In this world, we will have troubles and struggles but stay faithful my friend, God is holding them in His hands.
Romans 12:12, 'Do not be overcome by evil, overcome evil with good.' Click To TweetWhere is Your Hometown? Do you struggle with not living in your Hometown?
Have you ever felt like a stranger in your own skin? How or in what way?
God’s love and grace are transformational. We become victorious when His word is alive and active in our lives!
Did you enjoy this blog post? Please share with others! Want more encouraging messages sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to my blog and receive a weekly Monday Message or like my Author Facebook page to catch the latest posts. Have a blessed week!
I would love to hear from you! Leave your comments below!
Facebook has changed its parameters of what posts pop-up in your feed. If you would like to continue to see blog posts in your Facebook feed then follow these simple easy instructions.
- Hover over the ‘Following’ button it will reveal a drop-down menu.
- From the drop down menu, Select SEE FIRST
Thank you all for your continued support!
Subscribe