Imagine that you were in a foreign country on vacation. Enjoying the sites, food and learning about the culture. Just as you are ready to head home something happens that prevents you from going home. Not only is that hard but that special plan you added to your phone so that you could call home every night has run out.

The only way that you can communicate is by letter writing.

What would you do? How often would you write home? As I was talking to my Mom recently she reminded me of something that’s stuck with me the last few weeks. To be honest I’m not one that enjoys traveling. Oh sure, I love the idea of visiting different places around the U.S. and the world. Seeing the sites, visiting the museums, and enjoying all that yummy food but the idea of actually leaving home (or the nearby vicinity/state) is not something I really enjoy. Now, if teleportation existed in real life? I’ll be home in time for bed!

But I digress… IF I happened to be stuck in a foreign country and the only way I could communicate would be by letter writing you better believe that I’d be writing letters every night at a minimum! I’d be sending letters faster than the postal service could deliver them back to Ohio! And those letters that I’d get from home? Well those would probably be read and reread time and again. Daily even…looking for that little bit of encouragement or wisdom to get me through until I could get home again. And that reunion at the airport when I finally touch down and get to see my family again? I’d probably be crying and that says something because I don’t cry easily.

But here’s the thing, as Christians we ARE STUCK in a foreign country! We are far from home and the only way we can communicate is by prayer and reading the letter that our Father gave us…The Bible.   

“For our citizenship is in heaven, for which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
~Philippians 3:20

I don’t know about you but if I were being honest, I’d have to say that those letters I’d get from home while stuck in a foreign country would probably be well-worn with deep creases and most likely tear stained from all the late night reading.

Is my Bible that well-worn? Are the pages creased? Can you by looking at it tell how much I cherish it? I honestly think that it’s something to think about…

The more of life that I see the more I realize how hard it is. Often times it doesn’t make sense and it’s just down right difficult some days. We need Jesus and we need His Word. How else are we supposed to know how to handle this life that we’ve been given? If we’re supposed to follow in Jesus steps (1 Peter 2:21) how can we do that if we don’t listen to Him and how can we listen to Him if we don’t read what He says?

As we pray to Him and read His Word He’ll reveal things to us. Areas that we need to work on, encouragement to continue on, or peace that passes human understanding. He’ll provide us the wisdom and guidance that we long for…if we let Him. Let’s cling to His Word like we would those letters we’d get if we were stranded in a foreign country.

Until next time,

Bailey Sue