Do you know you are a “dual citizen”?
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 3:20
Heavenly Father,
We need your help.
Citizens of America recently celebrated
our country’s 250th anniversary
with fireworks, barbecue, apple pie,
and red, white, and blue everything.
We know what it means to be a citizen of our country.
We are less familiar with our citizenship in heaven.
We confess, we often picture heaven
as a place where people sprout angel wings
and float on clouds,
not as the place where the resurrected Jesus
rules over the cosmos
at your right hand.
We need to know how to live today
in this fallen and broken world
as your citizens.
First of all, it is clear that we live
as people waiting for the day
we will be face to face with our Savior, our Master, our King.
In that day, our dual citizenship will end,
for we will be citizens alone
of the “better country,”
our “heavenly homeland” (See Hebrews 11:16).
In that day, the renewal of creation,
our bodies,
and our purpose
will be complete.
In that day, our struggle with bodies
so weak and easily tempted to sin,
so frail and subject to disease and death,
will end (See Phil. 3:21).
In that day, we will rejoice with our risen Savior,
and rest in the complete healing of all things (See 1 John 3:1-2; Rev. 21:5).
What hope we have as citizens of heaven now!
Because of the renewal to come,
may we live today joining Jesus
in seeking the restoration
of all broken things
in our current country of citizenship and beyond!
Hallelujah indeed! What a Savior!
Amen.
Read Philippians 3:20-21; Hebrews 11:13-16; Revelation 21:1-5.
