Lent 30: Temporary Resident

Yesterday's post still has me thinking, especially the line, "You were created to 'add' to life on earth, not just take from it. God wants you to give something back." I realize that these lines are written to us North American Christians who fall into the trap of being obsessive consumers. Whether we want to admit or not, we have an insatiable desire to fill our lives with stuff. As a matter of fact, a study by the Barna Group in the States shows that there is not much difference between the spending habits of Christians and non-Christians (See National Surveys Question Christian Morality). Regardless of faith, we have very similar values. Sadly, it seems like we are no better off that unbelievers. Pretty disturbing.

What makes us different then? We believe we are sinners. We believe we are forgiven through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We believe that we have eternal life through God's grace and God's grace alone. We believe that God is our Saviour.

But do we REALLY believe God is our Lord? And if so, what would that mean about how we live our life in the here and now, in an affluent society that has extra money to spend on lattes and highlights (which, I admit, I indulge in).

Our small group is studying 1 Peter and it has been a challenging book to apply. The books starts off saying much about God's grace and the hope of salvation. Peter, the author, proceeds to remind the believers of how great a sacrifice God made on the cross. It cost God the precious lifeblood of Christ to ransom us from an empty life! Then, he begins to admonish the believers to live differently from the society around them, in the face of suffering and persecution, all the while reminding them of who they are in Christ. I am humbled by these verses:
Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. 1 Peter 2:11-12
Am I living as a temporary resident or foreigner here in this world? Or am I building my own kingdom on earth? Kids, I admonish you to think about these things as you live your Christian life.

(I am so thankful for the ability to think and process and reflect. Dear Reader, I have more thoughts coming on this topic, as I have much to unpack.)

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