“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19).

A number of years ago I had the privilege of traveling to Mali. The people treated me with a great deal of respect, courtesy, and friendliness. In every sense of the word they welcomed me to their country. In spite of trying to make me feel welcome and at home with them, it really was apparent to me that I was a stranger and a foreigner. One of the afternoons, the missionary and I traveled from the bush into one of the little villages. He told me it had been a long time since any of the villagers had seen a white man in their town. Leaving New York State in January, needless to say, my skin was very white. No suntans in January in New York State! The whiteness of my skin and the customs and culture of my home area were very interesting to them. Do you know why? It was because a stranger and a foreigner stood in their community. The missionary told me it would appear that every single person stopped working and every boy and girl was fascinated with this stranger. Did you know dear friends that we Christians are strangers and foreigners here on this planet? This world is not our home. Our home is in Heaven. Equally grand is the Biblical truth that once we were cut off from God and we were strangers and foreigners to Him. But now, through Christ, we are His family!

For today: Rejoice that you are no longer a stranger or foreigner to God.