Heb 11:14-16 "For they that say such things declare
plainly that they seek a country. (15) And truly, if they had been
mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned. (16) But now they desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God:
for he hath prepared for them a city."
These verses continue a thought started back in verse 13: they "confessed
that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
"They that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country."
Do you ever find yourself wanting more? That question can apply to
several different instances in life. Do you ever find yourself, at night,
standing in the kitchen wanting something but you don't know what you
want? In some cases, we keep going back until we find that right thing or
until we are so full we can't hold any more. As I look back on my life,
I realize I changed jobs several times before submitting to the Lord's call to
the ministry. Each time I left one place of employment for another, I felt I
was bettering myself with that change. But true contentment did not come until
I submitted to the call of the Lord upon my life. There are several levels in
which we find ourselves "seeking a country". This isn't
necessarily a geographical location. In fact, more times than not, it is a
state of the mind or heart that we are seeking fulfillment.
These saints of old confessed they were "just a passin' through"
trying to find fulfillment and contentment. They declared plainly that they
sought a country. They kept pressing forward seeking contentment, not
complacency. They did not allow themselves the opportunity to turn around and
go back. They kept pressing forward in order to find that place where they
could experience the peace and joy that comes when we are in the right place
according to God's will for us. We call that the kingdom of heaven. It is
an experience when the heart and mind find peace being in complete accord with
God. We can find a "foretaste of glory divine" such as we sing
in the song, "Blessed Assurance."
But ultimately, as much joy as there is in experiencing the kingdom of heaven, there is that which is even greater. It seems to me, the deepest need within ourselves that says, "we are looking for more," will only be found when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to take us to our heavenly home. Paul stated more than once, and in different ways, our citizenship is in heaven. I've never been out of the country, and quite honestly I don't intend to, but I have seen instances when people, who have been in a foreign land for a long time, literally kiss the ground when they return home. I don't expect to kiss the ground of heaven, but I pray that I will be able to kiss the feet of my Lord who laid down His life for me so that I might have that heavenly citizenship. I'm so thankful that God is not ashamed to be called my God. Aren't you?