Are You An Alien, Pt 2 - No. 29

Psalm 119:19, “I am a stranger in the earth.”

Today we continue looking at the characteristics of an alien. 

5. Aliens do not have an itinerary.

Hebrews 11:8, “And he went out, not knowing where he was going.”

Of course we can plan our day. We can plan commitments for the future, but our trust should always be in the sovereignty of God. Our daily motto should be from James 4:13-15,  “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Or 1 Corinthians 16:7, “If the Lord permits.” 

When I was growing up in New Zealand, most of the folk of our church would say D.V. after any plans they made. For example, “We plan to join you for Christmas, D.V.” Or, “We are planning a weekend seminar on ‘How to Know the Will of God, D.V.” D.V. was short for two Latin words meaning, God willing. I think the words must have been Deus voluntas, but perhaps a Latin student could correct me.

If things don’t turn out the way we planned, we should not be upset. God is greater than our plans. In fact, His plans are better than ours. 

Psalm 37:5 says, “Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

And how we need to be reminded of Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” 

6. Aliens look upon the world as a foreign country.

Hebrews 11:9, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country…” 

The word ‘strange’ in the Greek is ‘allotrios’ and it means ‘belonging to other people, not one’s own, not akin.’ This is how aliens view the world. They have no kinship with it. They realize it belongs to another race.

7. Aliens live like temporary citizens.

Hebrews 11:9 AMP, “By faith he dwelt as a temporary resident in the land…”

Even Moses called his first-born son, Gerhsom, which means ‘temporary visitor, stranger, alien’ because this was his experience. Gershom was born to him while he was a stranger for 40 years out in the desert.

Aliens don’t get entrenched in this world. I am always challenged by the J. B. Phillip’s translation of Romans 12: 2, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould…”

Alien mothers don’t accumulate too much junk. They realize that this life is temporary and that they will one day soon leave everything behind. They don’t live like they are going to be here forever.

8. Aliens look upon their homes as tents.

Hebrews 9:11, “Living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs with him of the same promise.”

Aliens lay up their treasures in heaven, rather than on this earth. (Matthew 5:19-21) Our homes should not be our glory. We are not building for this world, but for an eternal kingdom.

We should look upon our homes as a temporary ark to protect and save our children in the midst of this sinful world. This is what Noah did. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.”

There were three arks mentioned in the Bible. The first was Noah’s ark, which was an ark of protection against the judgment of God. We are called to build an ark of protection for our family in the midst of this crooked and deceived generation. We should put more time into building a protecting ark for our children’s souls than building a great edifice that will one day pass away. The structure of our home will pass away, but our children will live forever.

The second ark was the ark that Jochabed made for her baby Moses. Oh what faith it took to place her baby in this ark and trust God to protect him. It was also a protecting ark and as she launched it out in faith, God’s showed his deliverance. (Hebrews 11:23) 

The third ark was the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle, which housed the presence of God. More than a stately building, we must build a home of protection, and a home that is filled with the presence of God. It is more important to have our home filled with the presence of God, than to have it filled with beautiful décor and material things that will not last. We will influence this world and eternity far more by filling our home with children, than TV’s and furniture.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Dear Lord, help me to live my life in the light of eternity. Save me from developing a kinship with this world. Help me to remember that I am temporary resident here, raising temporary residents for eternity. Amen.”

QUOTE: