Living in Canada, we are surrounded by wonderful people from across the globe. Many of my closest friends are immigrants from Scotland, Colombia, South Africa, and beyond. It can be difficult to witness firsthand the challenges these men and women of integrity face as they strive to become Canadian citizens. I have prayed many prayers on their behalf and sat with them in tears through those difficult moments. For them, being part of something beautiful makes the journey worthwhile.
As Christians, we often view ourselves as spiritual immigrants, waiting for our papers to be approved at the gates of eternity. It is easy to treat heaven as a distant destination or a future reward for a life spent doing the right things.
However, the New Testament tells a different story. Because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and your faith in who He is, you are already citizens of heaven.
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” – Ephesians 2:19 NLT
Our citizenship in the Kingdom is a current status that we carry into every moment of our lives today. Every day spent in connection with Jesus is a part of the heaven we participate in right now. He is our Good Shepherd who loves His sheep. Kingdom citizenship is defined by belonging to Him, not to a country. Jesus tells us that we know His voice (John 10:27) and that He leads us beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). We are falling in love with a Person whose presence is so kind and so compelling that being with Him is the highest reward imaginable. There is nothing more exciting than walking out our heavenly citizenship in the present, simply because Jesus is just that good, and His company changes everything.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” – John 17:3
Eternal life starts with the new quality of life we find in knowing Him while we live! While we will certainly enjoy the new creation He has prepared for us in the age to come, we shouldn’t focus on the future so much that we miss what is available to us right now. Right now, He wants to carry your burdens; right now, He will wipe away your tears; right now, He is healing our hearts and bodies. Right now!
When you realize that, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5 NIV), fear loses its grip. We begin to marvel at the love of Jesus. It is a love that is higher, wider, longer, and deeper than we ever imagined. You can live boldly and love deeply today because your security is already settled. You aren’t working toward a reward; you are living from one.
Have a blessed week,
Tammy Keezer & The Freedom Centre Team