Title Traveler Ritual
Contents
Hymn: 422 "I am like a stranger"
Meditation: We must live with a deep awareness that we are bound to be strangers in this world.
Confession of Faith: Apostles' Creed
Text: “All these died to the faith and did not receive the promise, but seeing them from afar and welcoming them, and testifying that they were aliens and strangers on the earth… They now long for a better homeland, which is in heaven; therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, but has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:13, 16).
Abraham Isaac Jacob These great forefathers of faith had one thing in common. As in verse 13, “these people” received the same promise from God, lived in the same land, and lived by testifying that they were all strangers. Their common element was the pilgrim ritual.
They could go back to their old hometown if they wanted to, but they did not. I didn't even get along with the people there. Perhaps the natives there questioned Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob. “If you don’t assimilate with us, wouldn’t it be better to go back to your hometown?” Abraham's family would have answered: “We are strangers everywhere. You don't have to get used to living here. Our real hometown is up there.” The natives must have tilted their heads as they looked up at the sky Abraham was pointing to. It was a secret unique to the Abrahamic family. That family had the citizenship of heaven to show off their courage.
Verse 16 is important. “Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, but he has prepared a city for them.” God was proud of Abraham Isaac Jacob, who lived as a stranger. He delighted in being called their God. When God introduced himself to Moses, he used the names of three people as modifiers. You can see how proud God was of them.
God will be proud of us and use our names as modifiers if we too live with a sojourner consciousness. And that God will prepare a city for us to dwell in and wait for us. As we enter the castle we will say. “Ah, my house is the best!”
Prayer: Help us to remember that we are strangers in this world. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Lord's Prayer