Strangers of this World

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household…” Ephesians 2:19 

After three weeks of operation, our time officially came to an end as our last patient was transferred out of the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital here in Jackson, Mississippi early Wednesday morning. 

Later that evening the remaining members of our team including our nurses, doctors, administrators, WASH technician, pharmacist, build team, and many more, had the opportunity to join together for one last session of worship in the bottom level of the parking garage that once housed our wards. Following a few songs and some closing updates, we were asked to take some time to share stories from the deployment, and specifically any final thoughts surrounding the experience as a whole. 

As I looked around the circle at my teammates and listened to their testimonies, one thing that had been brewing in my heart, stood confirmed.

A few months ago, seated at my oh-so-familiar picnic table on the shore of Lake Tahoe, I approached the Lord with this hovering feeling of loneliness; this feeling of being so unknown despite being so surrounded. In fact, it seemed as though the more surrounded I became and the more people that I met, the more and more I felt like a stranger.  

Whether it be in the way that I think, the way that I live, or the way that I chose to spend the minutes of my days it is often that I walk away from a conversation more greatly sensing that I’m just different. I don’t say this to boast or to say my different ways are the right ways, and maybe some days I’m not near as different as I feel, but many times, though not always, I walk away void of the depth of connection that my heart desires. 

I would love to tell you that I was completely alleviated from that feeling on that very day. I would love to tell you that through every single encounter in this world, I now more greatly feel as though I belong. I would love to tell you that as I wake each and every morning, I am met with the feeling of being “right at home”.  But even more than I wish that I could tell you these things, I am so thankful that I am not able to stand by a single one of them.

That morning by the lake, the Lord didn’t comfort me that in saying that I would never feel like a stranger and He never told me that I wouldn’t feel alone in this world, but in His goodness, the Lord comforted me in reminding me that He has in fact called me to BE a stranger in this world and in His grace, He reminded me that He will never leave me nor forsake me, thus I will never truly be alone. 

Through these gentle responses, I was not lifted out of my loneliness in the way that one may expect. I was not surrounded with a community of like-minded people and comforted by hearing “You’re normal”, or being told that I was “made for this world.”

Rather, I was completely comforted in realizing that the dissipation of these feelings, or beginning to feel as though I belong in this world or were “right at home”, would not be signs of good progress, but red flags in my walk with the Lord. 

Oh, how much more I would rather feel alone in the world, yet close to the Lord, than apart from the Lord and at home in the world.  

“Instead, they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 

Every person listed in the ‘Faith Hall of Fame’ of Hebrews chapter 11  was said to have recognized that they were foreigners or strangers on earth, never having received the promises of the Lord, but only seeing the His promises from a distance. Through the evidence of their faith, it was clear that they were not longing to return to the country that they had left, but were “longing for a better one – a heavenly one.” The passion translation says, “They all lived their lives on earth as those who belonged to another realm” (v.13).

I saw this longing, this ulterior motive rooted in eternity, in each of my teammates as they took their turns speaking around the circle. The more I heard from each person as an individual, the more apparent it became, and I was reminded, once again, of the conversation that I had with the Lord on the shore of Lake Tahoe. 

There stood the confirmation of that which was building in my heart. Though I may be a stranger of this world, I am not a stranger alone. Though I may be different than the world, I am not different alone. Though I may be a foreigner of this world, I am not the only one who does not belong. We, together, are strangers in this world, longing for a better country; longing to be united with our King. 

In his letter to the people of Ephesus, Paul also touches on this concept of being a foreigner. 

“Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands) – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:11-13). 

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (2:19-22).

Do you see it? Paul’s reference is not to being a foreigner of this world, but in gaining citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Just as the Gentiles, we were once separate from Christ. We were excluded from the citizenship of His kingdom. We were without hope and without God. We WERE foreigners. BUT NOW, in Christ Jesus, we have been brought near. We are no longer foreigners in the eyes of our Lord, but fellow citizens with God’s people, our Brothers and Sisters in Christ. We are members of God’s household. And we are being joined together to become the holy temple in the Lord, the dwelling place for His Spirit. 

I want to make it clear that it has not been by our own efforts that we have been made strangers of this world, nor citizens of heaven. It is only by the transforming, resurrection power of the cross, that we have been set apart while still in the process of sanctification, or the process of becoming more like Christ. As we continue to grow in His image, to pursue the Lord with our lives, we will naturally become different than those of the world. Scripture tells us that the poor will be rich, the weak will be strong, and that death leads to life. How could we expect to encounter the kingdom of God and not experience great changes? 

My friends, recognize what is being said here. We are either to be foreigners of the kingdom of God or foreigners of this world. Dual citizenship is not an option. 

You cannot belong to this world AND find hope in eternity. 

You cannot belong to this world AND be fellow citizens of God’s people. 

You cannot belong to this world AND be members of His household. 

You cannot belong to this world AND belong to God. 

You will be a foreigner, the question is, where will you place your citizenship?

Over the past few weeks, I have been given a glimpse of what it feels like to belong. Now more than ever, I am longing for a better country – a heavenly one, but at the same time, I have been more greatly comforted in being a stranger of this world, knowing that I am not a stranger alone, and that one day, I will be united with every stranger of this world, my fellow citizens, as we rejoice before the Lord our God and I hope to see you there too.