Strangers
This is an audio recording of Strangers, the Day 1 entry in Today: Devotions for Seafarers (Vol. 2) by Jason Zuidema.
Listen to the audio by Donielle Hart Goad or read the text below:
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.”
When I was younger, I spent a year working in another country. Living with cultural differences made the experience unforgettable. This was also my first experience in a land where I was totally unfamiliar with the language and customs. Like many immigrants and seafarers, I learned that adapting to life in a new setting is not always an adventure.
During my first week in that country I was frustrated because I couldn't find milk at the local supermarket. I later learned that it was packaged differently and located in a different aisle than I had expected. Looking back, I chuckle at my frustration. But the deeper truth was the realization of how different I was from everyone around me: I was a stranger.
In a few weeks, I found it easier to adapt to my surroundings. But today, after years of working with seafarers, I know that it can take much longer for fears and stress to subside. It is not always easy to be away from home.
People who cross borders are not the only strangers in this world, though. Our reading from Hebrews 11 shows that all believers are strangers in this world, moving toward a destination that is beyond this life. While we are created to live here and be a part of this world, we can also engage in and enjoy the adventure of discovering God's kingdom and all that he has in store for us.
For Further Thought
What does it feel like to be a stranger in a foreign country?
Describe what it feels like to have people in another country treat you differently.
Why is it important to know that all believers are strangers in the world?
Prayer
Dear Lord, so often it is difficult to live as strangers in this world. Thank you that we are not abandoned but are brothers and sisters in Christ. In his name we pray. Amen.
