This Is Not Where We Belong // Homecoming, Part 4 [Devo]

Growing up, whenever my family was on the road, we almost always had on a Christian radio station … specifically K-Love, for those who are familiar — it was my family’s go-to. There was one song that the younger me always raised objection to when it came on. I remember telling my mom that I did not like it. It was a song by Building 429 called “Where I Belong.” The reason I did not like the song is because of the chorus, which goes like this:

I didn’t like these lyrics because I thought, “If this isn’t my home and if this isn’t where I belong, then why did God put me here?” Being so young at the time, I don’t think I understood how fleeting this life is, that we are “...a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). And I did not understand that just because I am here, and this is where I reside, that does not make it my home. And if the saying is true — home is where the heart is — then my home is with my Father in Heaven. That is where I am made to be, that is what my heart longs for, and where myself and other Christians one day will permanently reside.

However, as a kid, the piece of the puzzle that was missing was what Paul tells us in Philippians 3:20:

Even though our home will one day be with God, we are citizens of heaven now.

One hard thing about being human and on this earth is, although we can know how wonderful our eternal home is, we still cling to this life and this world. This is an indicator that we are putting things, and oftentimes people we love, above God. For me personally, I can do this with my wife, Olivia, my job, my first child coming this March, and occasionally, the Steelers, when they are playing. These things are not wrong to enjoy… these are things I believe God has made for us to enjoy. But it shouldn’t be at the cost of losing our focus on Him and where our citizenship truly is.

The awesome thing is, when we keep our focus on our eternal home, on our Savior and Lord, we actually love and enjoy those things and people all the more (even if your football team is 1-3, like mine), because we have put our Lord Jesus in the middle of them all.

This will make us look different to the world, which is a good thing. So that when people see us, see how we act, what we do and don’t do, what our values are, and how we love, we will be a witness to the world of the transformative work God does to those who are citizens of heaven.

As you go through the rest of your week, ask yourself what would change if you were constantly aware of your citizenship in heaven.

Author: Ian Young, Middle School Director