“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” – 1 Peter 2:11 (NIV)
It’s easy to go around believing that this life is the only thing that’s real. As followers of Jesus, though, we are called to a higher vision – like the heroes of faith in the book of Hebrews, we must keep our eyes on the eternal promises of God, even when we cannot yet taste, touch, or see the fruit of those promises.
Like Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and others, we have to see ourselves as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. We must recognize that we are just passing through. No matter what happens around us, we really don’t belong here. Our home is a heavenly one.
As we go about our daily lives, it’s easy to fix our eyes on temporary things, getting bogged down in checklists and goals. These things are necessary to an extent, but ultimately, even our short-term goals should lead us to the fulfillment of imperishable ends.
As you consider what part God might be calling you to play in His ministry to prisoners and their families, I pray that He will give you an eternal perspective on your life. We may all be just passing through this world, but when we invest our time, prayer, and gifts in the destiny of people created in the image of God, we are building a Kingdom that will never pass away.