Scripture for Today: Hebrews 11:13 “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”

Caribou seem to always be on the move.  They are called the “Nomads of the North” for good reason.  The caribou lay claim to the longest terrestrial migration on the planet!  Some of these beautiful animals, also called reindeer, travel up to 2,737 miles per year!  Different factors affect the timing of their movements but the migrations in general follow the seasons.  Perhaps the reason the caribou have survived tough conditions for so many thousands of years is the fact that they keep moving.

Today’s verse is in a chapter that lists the great men and women of faith.  What is true of all of them is that they were looking for a country of their own.  They were not comfortable where they were.  In a sense they were nomads.  Rather than becoming too comfortable where they were, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God (verse 16).

As believers our citizenship is in Heaven (Phil.3:20) and we are not to feel too comfortable in whatever country we live.  I am not home yet.  But there are times when I am so steeped in this world and its values that I forget that this is not my home.  As much as I want to live comfortably here, I can become too complacent and forget to have that eternal perspective.  By living like a stranger or foreigner here, I can keep my eyes on my forever home!

Lord, keep me looking forward to my true home.