I don’t belong here and neither do you. You don’t have to get to know me very well before you see my distaste and discomfort with our world. More than anything I want to be in the presence of my Savior. I don’t waste much time on trivial things or small talk because I have a sense of the urgency of my time on this planet. Honestly, I’d give up my remaining days right now in order to be with Jesus. This doesn’t mean there aren’t things about this world I enjoy. I have a wife, dogs, family, and friends, and I love them all. But nothing compares to the love I have for Jesus.
My love for Him and desire to be with Him drives everything I do. That doesn’t mean I live some sort of a charmed or perfect life. I get tired, frustrated, worn out, and run down. I mess up. I say the wrong thing or react in an unkind way. I sin and fall short of His designs for me. Through all my failures, I never lose sight of how much He loves me. What kind of god humbles themselves to become just like those who worship them? What kind of god allows his servants to torture and kill him? That kind of story doesn’t play well in either myth or legend. Yet that’s what Jesus did for you and for me.
We are spiritual beings created in the image of God but living in a physical realm. Our bodies are a magnificent fit, but in the end, they are merely a covering for our souls. We commune with God in Spirit, and our physical bodies groan as we yearn to be reunited with Jesus in the true spiritual sense (Romans 8:20-23). Followers of Jesus will never be at home in this world. We know and have seen too much. We can never go back to living ordinary, self-centered, and totally physical lives. We know there’s more. We have touched the eternal, and He in turn has touched us.
We are temporary residents, placed in this world to do the work He created for us (Ephesians 2:10). So as much as I want to leave here, I still have work to do. Until my time comes to be with Jesus, it is my duty, my honor, and my privilege to serve the King of the Universe, the master of love and light. No matter how much I want to go home, the love and sacrifice of my Savior compels me to stay and tell others of His love and mercy.
How are you spending your time on earth? Are you soaking in all you can get in the few short years you spend here? Or are you maximizing your time in service to God? Eternity will be spent in one of two ways for every soul: with God, or separated from Him. The choice is ours and is reflected in how we spend our days. Whoever is not for Christ is against Him (Luke 11:23). We may long to be in the presence of Jesus and finally rest, but as long as we’re here it is our duty to carry on His mission of love, humility, and service. We are not of this world, so let’s not act like we are.