Sojourners

After graduating from college, I’ve had a semi-nomadic existence. The consulting life + ministry responsibilities will do that. For about 5 years, where I woke up Tuesday morning was a different place than where I went to bed Sunday night. I thought this was a modern phenomenon.

Of course, I was wrong.

Turns out, Abraham was quite the nomad himself. After the death of his wife, Sarah, Abraham makes an appeal to acquire a burying place, opening with these words…. “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you…” (Genesis 23:4)

The ESV Study Bible Notes: Abraham’s description of himself emphasizes his immigrant status. Even after 62 years of semi-nomadic existence in Canaan, Abraham has no permanent location to call his own. This is all the more noteworthy in light of God’s repeated promises to Abraham that his descendents will possess all the land of Canaan. The author of Hebrews develops the idea that Abraham chose to go on living in tents because he was looking forward to a city “whose designer and builder is God.”

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents…for he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” Hebrews 11:8-10

When I was constantly traveling, sure I loved the constant change, but a deeper part of me wanted a place to call home. And though I would fly back every weekend, New Jersey still didn't quite feel like home.

My guess is that as we traverse this life, no matter how settled we get, we will still long for a place that truly feels like home...after all, we are all sojourners on this earth and our home is the city of God.