The Way Home

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.”
Hebrews 11:13-14 (ESV)

If we could hover over the earth and look down, etched into the landscape we’d see a constant trail of many people travelling across the world. Every day over 28 thousand are forced to flee their homes because of conflict or persecution. Our twenty first century has been marked by one refugee crisis after another. According to the UNHCR there are about 24.5 million refugees in the world. And there are 10 million stateless people. 

History books usually give us lists of kings and empires lost and won. We could write a different account with a list of peoples on the move over the centuries – kicked out, deported, or fleeing for their lives. 

That’s our world, with its kingdoms, fiefdoms, wars and power struggles. But what about God’s kingdom? A long time ago Adam and Eve were forced to leave their home in the Garden of Eden. When they turned their backs on God, he expelled them from his presence and ever after all civilisations grew up outside, cut off from Paradise.

And so we have grown up in this alien land outside of Eden, with no chance to return home till God himself came to our far country to find us and rescue us. He lived and died for us, and made a way back to his kingdom and his presence. He came to restore us to a loving relationship with him, within his kingdom, never to be expelled, never to be stateless, lost and roaming again. All of this has been made possible through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

Prayer
Our Father, you sent your Son into our world to bring us back to you. May we live faithfully, as strangers in a strange land, praying as we go, ‘your kingdom come’ for all the refugees exiled from your presence.
Amen

Study by Hilary Buck

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About the Author:
Hilary Buck pastors Grace Communion in Lewes.
Like us on www.facebook.com/GCLewes

Local Congregation:
Grace Communion – Lewes
The Priory School
Mountfield Road
LEWES
BN7 2XN

Meeting Time:
Saturday 11:00am

Local Congregational Contact:
Hilary Buck
Email: hilaryjbuck@gmail.com