A stranger here
𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞?
This week marked a significant anniversary for Monic and I.
12 months ago, we arrived in the Netherlands.
Those months have simply flown by, so incredibly fast.
We have travelled throughout Belgium and the Netherlands, visited with lots of family, reacquainted ourselves with many old friends, made many new friends from all across the world and testified of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in many towns and cities.
Yesterday, we met up with fellow Scot – Mark Stewart, an Area Authority Seventy, as each of us fulfilled assignments to speak at The Hague Stake Conference in Zoetermeer this weekend.
Reflecting this morning, I was reminded of a scripture in Ephesians 2:19.
At the time the Apostle Paul was fearlessly traveling into lots of different lands and meeting many new people.
Writing to the members of the Church, or Saints as they were called and are called today, he reminded members of the Church of the blessings of belonging, when he told them, “Ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
What do you think of when you think of “strangers” or “foreigners”?
Mark and I are both Scottish, growing up on opposite sides of the country.
Speaking last night, our mother tongue, dialect, cultural background, and lifestyle may be different from the Dutch, but we were no strangers or foreigners – we were indeed fellowcitizens with the household of God, the Saints, here in the Netherlands.
In our day, in these turbulent times in which we live, strangers and foreigners are coming to us – daily.
We don’t have to look far. They are all around us.
Are you welcoming?
In fact, I was a stranger here not too long ago, yet I have always felt welcome here.
I know that no-one is a stranger to Jesus Christ.
In Romans 8:16-17, the Apostle Paul explains further…
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.”
Try as we may, we cannot separate ourselves from each other.
As children of God, we are not strangers to one another, we are all in fact brothers and sisters.
I hope that we will remember that we are all children of God and part of His family.
Have you ever felt like a stranger?
#HearHim