Faithful Sojourner
Scripture Reading — Hebrews 11:9-10
By faith [Abraham] made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country.
Most of us have a warm spot in our hearts for home. Even the word home can bring feelings of warmth, love, and security. Though we may grow up and eventually leave our home of origin, our home never quite leaves us.
For much of his life, Abraham was a nomad, moving from one place to another. Even though he left behind places that he could have called home, the book of Hebrews tells us he was “looking forward” to finding his home with God. That’s because God called him—and by faith Abraham followed.
Oftentimes Abraham lived as an outsider in a foreign land. He knew what it was like to be different from the people around him. As a sojourner, he faithfully followed the Lord as his guide and as God fulfilled promises in his life.
All of us who consider ourselves spiritual children of Abraham have a similar mindset. We follow where the Lord leads. As followers of Jesus, we are never completely comfortable or at home with the value system and lifestyle of this world. As a result, we don’t drive our stakes too deeply into the ground. Instead we travel lightly. Even if we don’t travel to distant lands, we focus on living as citizens of God’s kingdom. We live in such a way that we long not only for our home with God but also to help bring his coming kingdom here on earth.
Father, thank you for the promise of having our eternal home with you. Be our steadfast guide as we journey through this life, sharing your goodness everywhere. Amen.
About the author — Dan Jongsma
Daniel Jongsma serves as an interim pastor in Fulton, Illinois. He has pastored congregations in Elmhurst and Fulton, Illinois; in Dearborn, Michigan; and in Nashville, Tennessee. Dan also served as a church planter in the Chicago area. He and his wife, Gloria, have three daughters and four grandchildren.
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