I've got a friend who is a Canadian citizen, but lives here in Lodi, has actually lived in the U.S. more time than in his native land. However, he's chosen not to become a U.S. citizen, because doing so would mean losing his Canadian citizenship. He's got a card much like this one that allows him to live and work in this country (his picture is on it, not this lady). It actually says "Resident Alien" on it. He even said they make you show your right ear, for enhanced security. They can use your right ear as well as your face to determine your identity.
All of this to say that this guy has a regular reminder that this country is not his permanent home. He is a citizen of another land. He lives among us, works among us, but this country isn't his home.
What a cool analogy as we think about our identity as aliens, sojourners, foreigners in this world. Heaven is our eternal home. It's our destination. It's our goal, and is promised to us if we trust Jesus for our salvation. Heaven ought to inform our values, inspire our obedience, and give us a purpose in life.
At the same time, we are called to live in this world. We are even called to influence this world for God. We ought to have significant relationship with lost people. We ought to engage our culture, to examine it, to challenge those who are tied up in it.
A common saying I've heard is "Don't be so heavenly-minded that you're of no earthly good." And the converse is also true, "Don't be so earthy, so tied to this world, that you forget you're a citizen of heaven."
If either of these statements describes you, this sermon series on 1 Peter should have much to say to you. I pray we let the Lord speak to all of us.
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2.9-12)
