I'm a pilgrim, are you?

TEMPORARY TO ETERNITY- that is what our current living conditions are right now. The spiritual life we nurture is eternal in Christ, the physical life we have is truly very, very temporary to eternity. There is a 'grand scheme of things' and that grand scheme is our heavenly home. We are PILGRIMS here upon earth. Abraham who lived until he was 175 years old when he died and he was but a pilgrim!  

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 

Heb 11:11  Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 

Heb 11:12  Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 

Heb 11:13  These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Do you confess that you are a stranger and pilgrim upon earth?

Will you die in faith, having NOT received the promises? Do you see the promises no matter how far away they are? Are you persuaded of the reality of those promises? Do you embrace the promises we have by faith?  Ask yourself these questions, please. 

The promises are NOT for this world, for this life, but for eternity.  Jesus did NOT come preaching prosperity to all who would follow Him. Jesus told it like it was, to follow Him was to bear a cross, to live on that cross because you are taking up that cross DAILY, not once a year upon a pagan holiday.That cross bears the death of Christ, an innocent Savior, our God who came to give up His life upon earth so we could have eternity with Him.  That cross calls us to sacrifice DAILY, not once in a while, not when it is easy for us to sacrifice-  the very nature of sacrifice is that it isn't something easy and pleasant. We are so darn busy indulging ourselves in many, many ways that a life of sacrifice seems all but impossible. To deny ourselves is something foreign, something we do only of we have to, when we are forced to by circumstances, but to willingly deprive ourselves of anything available to us whether it's a soft chair to rest in, or warm food, or a favorite perfume, a cherished few moments of solitude, to willing deny ourselves any of those things and so much more, is an alien concept to us. Grab everything while we can, we say, because who knows what might happen.

Sacrifice. Not because you don't have a choice and are forced to give up those things by circumstance but because you choose to deny self it's every whim.  And NO I'm not advocating martyring yourself so you can pat yourself on the back and tell yourself what a great sacrificing individual you are. I'm not telling you to destitute yourselves either.  Daily sacrifices of self can be made in many ways.  The point being we have to LIVE realizing that this LIFE, this existence we've eked out for ourselves however wonderful or not so wonderful is NOTHING but a temporary existence. And it is true that HOW we live now, the CHOICES we make now in this life determine whether or not we will share in eternity with our Savior.  

Choosing to love Christ, to accept Him as our Savior is a reality only when we choose to live for Him here and now as well. He never expected anyone to believe on Him and then go and live their lives as if He doesn't exist in reality, as a very real part of their lives. Accepting Him meant and means accepting a new way of life, living for the everlasting gospel which is the truth of Christ preparing a place for us in Heaven. Is eternity with Christ your home, the home you are look for, the promise no matter how far off that you are waiting on?  

Please Father God, please keep us in You in all things, don't let us ever live without You guiding our lives. We are truly pilgrims and strangers here and now, and we hope to find our home with You!

All in YOUR amazing love, through the sacrifice and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ now and forever!