Aliens and Pilgrims

For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on earth are as a shadow, And without hope. – 1 Chronicles 29v15

‘This world is not my home…’ So begins a great old gospel song. It continues ‘…I’m justa passing through. My treasures are laid out, some where beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heavens open doors and I can’t feel at home in this world any more.’

All of our days here are indeed a shadow. There is no hope here. But this world is not our home. We are aliens and pilgrims. We are strangers in a strange land. Why then are we so encumbered with this world?

The problem is, as we have said so often before, this world is just so visible – it is just so ‘here.’ Despite the fact that our days on earth are ‘as a shadow’ and ‘without hope’ we still cling to them as though they held eternal importance.

Politics, economics, sports, news, business, and sometimes just the day to day drama consume our lives. We forget that this really isn’t our place.

I am not even sure of the name of the song, but there is a gospel song that says ‘I don’t want to get adjusted to this world.’

Which home is most important to us? Is it the one we are ‘just a passing through’ or is it our eternal home in glory?

Let’s get used to the fact that as God’s children we are just aliens and pilgrims in a land that will never really be our home. Let’s keep our eyes on our eternal home!