Where is Your Home?
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:15
This verse is taken from the prayer that Jesus prayed for the apostles, telling the Father that they are not of this world. Jesus is telling us that this sinful world is not our home. Do you live as if this world is your home, or do you live knowing that heaven is your home?
If we have accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, then we know that heaven is our home, but are we eternally minded, that is, living each day knowing that heaven is our home? Are we living our earthly lives on the foundation of our eternal lives? Why is it important to live each day knowing that heaven is our home?
When Christ ascended into heaven he established his Kingdom, and we are part of that Kingdom even though we live on the earth. So how are we to live in the Kingdom? Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (Colossians 3:2). Whatever we hear from the world goes to the Spirit, and we respond with hearts of love and Godly wisdom. This may sound difficult but as we become eternally minded with hearts of peace, this becomes more desirable and less difficult.
If we submit to the pattern of this world, then we are more in the world than we are in the Kingdom. If we view the things of the world such as our homes, cars, money, and possessions strictly as ours, then we tend to be worldly oriented. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Romans 8:5-6). If our thoughts are primarily on the world with little awareness of our eternal home, then we are more concerned about our earthly lives than our eternal lives Our homes are where our hearts are.
The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Psalm 24:1). If we truly understand this in our hearts, and we are consciously aware that this world is not our home, then we will be eternally minded, knowing that our thoughts, words, and actions have eternal consequences. Living for eternity helps us to get through this life because everything is temporary. We trust the Lord to carry us through to our heavenly home. Also, if we know that this world is not our home, then we will be more focused on our eternal lives and becoming closer to our Lord. Our view of this life changes when we live for our eternal home.
Satan wants to make us earthly-oriented by minimizing our thoughts and talk about God. He wants our thoughts, our words, and our actions to be earthly-oriented. God looks at our hearts and our hearts are determined by our thoughts. The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time (Genesis 6:5). Do our thoughts lead the Lord to see us eternally minded or earthly minded? If our hearts are Christ centered, then shouldn’t our thoughts, words, and actions be Christ centered?
Today be aware that this earthly life is temporary and that heaven is your home. Live for eternity, but live this life with divine purpose to fulfill the Lord’s will by being a light for Christ wherever you go and whatever you are doing. Notice that the more eternally minded you are, the closer to the Lord you will be, and the less you will worry in this life.
Let’s Pray: Lord fill my heart with eternity and my conscious mind with the knowledge that this world is not my home. Help me to understand that everything belongs to you, and to use everything in my life for your glory. Thank you Lord for every blessing and for eternal life. In Jesus name, Amen.