citizenship

Monday, May 24, 2010 (7:55 a.m.)

Beloved Lord God,

Good morning. How’s it going? I’m guessing by that that I truly am at a loss for words. I could start with my usual thank You’s but I don’t want to sound stilted and fake. So where do we go from here?

How about yesterday in church when I cried at just watching Evan Wickham play the piano? Wow! Lord. What an incredible gift he has! Thank You [that was real, not forced J] for prompting me to go sit where I could see his talent very up close and personal. Thank You for Connor’s willingness to include me in his spot of worship. Thank You for the freedom to be able to get up and move around during that time.

Wow Lord. I love when the thanks and praises just come pouring out and I don’t have to search for them. And where did they begin this morning? From such a talented musician as Evan yesterday mentioning that the inspiration for his song “Heavenlies” was from having read in the book of Revelations that our citizenship is in Heaven. Our Heavenly citizenship is eternal. We are just visiting here. Our citizenship is with You, in Your Kingdom. Wow Lord! What an awesome realization!

Oh Most Dear and Holy God. How I thank You ~ deeply, sincerely, reverently ~ for the opportunity to look ahead to eternity with You. I confess to having no concept of what all that will possibly be like. But I thank You none-the-less!

Thank You for the apostle Paul’s words to the people of Philippi in this regard. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). I can’t even begin to fathom what this means Lord. The Living Bible says it this way, “But our homeland is in heaven, where our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ is; and we are looking forward to His return from there.”

Lord, I look to You this morning using Paul’s words. “Finally, my dear friends, be glad that you belong to the Lord.” (3:1) “But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (vs. 7, 8). “I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize. My friends, I don’t feel I have already arrived. But I forget what is behind, and I struggle for what is ahead. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” (12-14)

Blessed Lord. At first I didn’t know how to begin this morning. Now I don’t know how to end. You are so good and glorious and gracious. I long to be deemed worthy of Your sacrifice for my citizenship with You in Heaven. I love You so very much Dearest Lord. Thank You for all You are and the great price You paid on my behalf. I love You Lord. Thank You. Amen.

(544 words ~ 9:10 a.m.)