Devotional 2-26-10

Philipians 3:20: But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.


Christian theologian and writer Justo Gonzalez gives an enlightening illustration about living according to one's expectations. Justo is always telling people that one day he hopes to retire to a quiet cabin in the woods where he will do nothing but fish all day.

People are doubtful that Justo will ever do this. He spends all of his free time outfitting hot rods - and loves the ones that have no muffler! He spends all of his time in the city and isn't much on reading wilderness magazines. He owns no fishing pole or tackle. Nothing that anyone sees in Justo's life suggests that he either expects what he claims to expect or that he would either enjoy or be any good at living the life he claims to expect and hope for. Others that know Justo, who also spend all their time in the city, find no clue in Justo's life to help them understand or imagine what the life he expects could possibly be like.

As we travel through our Lenten journeys, let us ask ourselves…are we living a life that prepares us for the life we expect to live when Christ returns? Do we have to declare our citizenship with bumper stickers and logos or is it obvious by the customs and accent of our ways and speech? Would anyone we meet during the day get a glimpse of the kingdom of Heaven from their encounter with us?

Let us consider whether the lives we are living now are preparing us for the life to come.

Let us consider the message of our living, whether it says to others what it might.

And let us repent, change direction, where we ought.

And let us carry on in the gladness of the grace of God. For, ultimately, we can live with expectation of what the future holds and also live with joy for what may presently be.

For if one lives as if expecting the Savior, the more real and more manifest that Savior becomes in the present, both with us and through us. Let us then live life as though the Kingdom of Heaven is indeed at hand, and we will then find that it is indeed among us.

Joe Hill