A Letter in LockdownSample

CITIZENS Have you ever felt left out? Lonely, perhaps? Like you just don’t fit in? Every time I stepped into period 6 Mathematics, I felt that way. I also felt that way when I walked into Aldi. I mean, Coles felt like a better fit for me. Truthfully, the very first time I felt left out was when my parents got divorced. I thought every other student in the school had parents that were together and that I was the only one whose Mum and Dad weren’t. I was very young and obviously naive to the truth that there are many broken and disjointed families in the world. I wasn’t the only one. As followers of Jesus, we can feel left out, isolated, different, weird, and like we just don’t fit in. The truth is, we aren’t the only ones! We aren’t on our own, we aren’t isolated, and we actually do fit in. We are citizens of heaven, and we are a part of the Body of Christ, the Church, together with millions of others in the world! And yes, we are supposed to stand out so that others can notice Jesus in us. But always remember that you stand out with other citizens of heaven. As citizens of heaven, we live a different life. Our destiny is not destruction’, our ‘God is not our stomach,’ and our ‘mind is not set on earthly things.’ Our destiny is secure in God, we live for God, not ourselves, and our mind is set on Him and all He has for us and others. You belong. You are called, chosen, and loved by God! The greatest lie that you can believe is that you are unloved. You’re a citizen of heaven. His scars are printed on your passport! Challenge: Citizens contribute to the society they live in. Reach out to someone today who you sense feels as though they don’t fit in. Write them an encouraging note or invite them to an upcoming event. Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, that I belong to you. Help me to reject the lie that I don’t belong or that I am unwanted or unloved. Thank you, Jesus, that you paid a high price for my life and that I am now a citizen of heaven. Today I choose to fix my eyes on heavenly things and not the things of this earth.