The City

Where are we truly from? This profound question invites us to examine our spiritual citizenship in a world where we often feel like strangers. Drawing from Hebrews 11, we discover Abraham's remarkable journey of faith—leaving everything familiar to pursue a city whose architect and builder is God. Like Abraham, we're called to see ourselves as aliens and strangers on earth, longing for a better country, a heavenly one. This isn't about rejecting the places we live or the communities we love, but about recognizing that our deepest belonging is elsewhere. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 5 that we are a city on a hill, a light that cannot be hidden. We're not meant to blend seamlessly into the world around us; we're designed to stand out, reflecting God's glory even when it makes us uncomfortable. The tension is real—how do we live fully in this world while not belonging to it? How do we love Kansas City or wherever we call home, yet still long for heaven? The answer lies in understanding that our current residence is temporary, a stopover on the journey to our eternal home. When we grasp this truth, we're freed to wear our spiritual 'jersey' proudly, unashamed of our identity in Christ, knowing that God has prepared something far more magnificent than anything we experience here.