Philippians 3:18–21
“For, as I have often told you before and now tell you even with tears, many walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction; their God is their belly; and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from there we await the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself.”
Each of us surely longs for a life of peace, security, and happiness. Yet the longer we live in this world, the more we realize that it can never give perfect happiness. Amid technological progress, scientific knowledge, and development, people still struggle with war, disasters, disease, injustice, and many other problems that remind us that earth is not the final destination of life.
Therefore, the Lord Jesus repeatedly taught His disciples to focus on eternal matters. He taught believers to store up treasures in heaven, not to chase after earthly wealth that can decay and vanish. The believer’s focus in life is not to enjoy this world, but to prepare oneself to welcome the everlasting Kingdom of God. In the Lord’s Prayer we confess, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” This confession reminds us that only God’s Kingdom will endure forever, while all earthly splendor will pass away.
Abraham’s journey in the Bible becomes a beautiful example of a life oriented toward eternity. When God called him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, Abraham left a prosperous, comfortable city and went to a place he had never seen. He stepped out not because he had all the answers, but because he trusted the Person who called him. This is also affirmed in Hebrews 11:10, which explains that Abraham was looking for a city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. Interestingly, Abraham never saw that city in his lifetime. Still, he lived as a faithful sojourner because his faith was fixed on God’s promise, not on worldly comforts.
Every believer should mirror Abraham’s attitude. The world often offers security, comfort, and pleasure that make us reluctant to follow the Lord’s steps. Like the Israelites who left Egypt, many people begin to long for the “pleasures of Egypt” when the journey of faith becomes difficult. They prefer false certainty to God’s promise, which demands faith. As a result, many fail to enter the fulfillment of God’s promises because their hearts are more attached to the world than to God.
As children of God, our identity is different from the world’s. The apostle Paul reminds us that we are heirs with Christ if we also suffer with Him, so that we may be glorified with Him (Romans 8:17). The suffering we endure because of faithfulness to Christ is not a sign that God has abandoned us, but part of the process of preparing us to receive eternal glory. Therefore, let us live as spiritual sojourners. Do not let our hearts cling too tightly to this temporary world. Use every opportunity to love the Lord, serve others, live in holiness, and faithfully do His will.