The Bible tells us that we are in the world, but not of it - we belong to Christ, not to this world, and our citizenship is in heaven. Yet, we live in this world according to God's sovereign purpose. 1st Peter 2 states:
11 Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
So, there you have it - we are called to a very important mission; our ultimate home is in heaven, but Jesus has things for us to do here. Jesus Himself came from another place to earth, so that He would die for the sins of the world. It's important that we regard ourselves according to that heavenly citizenship that we have been granted. We are not of this world, and we are called to stand against the world's ways and ideologies and apply ourselves to living the Word of God.
Jesus stood before Pilate, completely convinced of who He was and to whom He belonged. In John 18, He declared...
(36) ... "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."
37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
During this time of COVID, perhaps many people and their families have learned a little bit, or even a lot, about isolation. But, can you imagine being in outer space, with just a few people with you, thousands of miles away from earth?
Astronaut Victor Glover is experiencing that right now - he and his crew lifted off over the weekend in the Space X Dragon capsule, Resilience, for a six-month stint at the International Space Station. By doing so, he became the first African-American astronaut on a long-term space mission.
CBN.com recently spotlighted Glover, who told the Christian Chronicle that he "...sent up communion cups and a Bible, and we have really good internet connectivity." He shared that he plans to stay connected to his church, saying: "So honestly, I will probably continue in what we've been doing: virtual service, virtual giving, reading my Bible and praying."
Glover relates:
"This has been a really interesting journey, the seven years I've been at NASA, and it's been a real exercise personally and professionally, but also spiritually," he explained. "Understanding the role of God in my life and God's authority and my submission to that and the love, support, and encouragement that that can create in my life."And, he is certainly devoted to his family; Glover said: "God assigned me a few really important things: this life, this vessel, but also my wife and that relationship, the two of us becoming one and then the family that we've grown with our four daughters."
"I want to use the abilities that God has given me to do my job well and support my crewmates and mission and NASA," Glover added. "That's really the thing I think the most about."
...Glover shared his thoughts on how the church has reacted to the current issues going on in America. "We all need to lean on God but we also need to lean on each other and be encouraging to one another," he said.
Victor Glover has an inspiring story, and is devoted to being used of the Lord for His glory. He is cognizant that he can go literally anywhere, and the presence of God will go with Him. It's a great reminder of how God accompanies His children. Victor can also remind us that when we feel isolation, we can still stay connected to God.
There is also some imagery here - Glover has had the unique vantage point of being in a space capsule and looking down at this world. Jesus talked about being above the world - He told His disciples when they face tribulation to be cheerful, because He has overcome the world. We can live at a higher level in Christ and not be ensnared by the philosophies of this world. We also know that we are not of this world, and that is certainly out of this world! We are called strangers and aliens; we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom, and ultimately the value system of heaven is to govern our behavior here on earth.
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