Sojourner
Heavenly Citizenship: When we become born-again our home ceases to be of this earth, and instead, our citizenship is a heavenly one. As Christians, we are reminded to live and conduct our lives according to this promise. The heroes of faith in the Bible understood this and likewise lived their lives accordingly. “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” — Hebrews 11:13-16. There is so much power when we truly understand that this earth is not our home forever. This is why we as Christians say we are in the world but not of it. Moreover, we are also promised the transformation of our bodies and we will become like Him when we enter the kingdom to come. “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” — Philippians 3:20. If you believe in Christ Jesus and have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior, you then also have your citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Remind yourself of this every day and you will do well.
Efficiently: This life is temporary. You enter this world with nothing and you will exit the same way. Life is not about the things you can collect but about the path you walk. The mindset of a sojourner is a person looking forward to the destination ahead. They are unencumbered by the collection of unnecessary things that will make their journey difficult. From our own experiences, we can speak to the nature of living life in a minimalistic way. Our Gospel Expeditions have brought us to 155 countries in 23-years of travel, and many of these countries we have visited multiple times. We constantly try to refine and discard what isn’t essential for the mission ahead. If the items we carried were to become too many it would make our journeys more difficult. We are always looking for something lighter, faster, or smaller to make our travels more efficient. Two shirts, two pairs of pants, a small camera, Bible, socks, underwear, and a few other items is how our packing list reads. Only the bare minimum is best because that’s what we have learned through experience. A powerful lesson most people would do well the heed is that less is more. Don’t let what you own end up owning you. God doesn’t want us weighed down by what we can gather, but rather, He seeks for us to know Him. There is more to life than your possessions. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6: 19–21.
Freedom: There is freedom in knowing where you are headed. Most people on earth don’t know what is to come and fear the end game. They fear death, for it is the great unknown, and a person always fears what they do not know. The power of knowing Christ Jesus and being born-again frees us from our worry and fear. Even if our lives end, we know that we will enter the eternal kingdom to come. This knowledge is what empowered the early church to boldly stand up to persecution and refuse to denounce Christ, even if it meant death. Early Christians would suffer incredible hardships unafraid because they knew where they were going. The powerful mindset of a sojourner is that they are merely passing through this life to the eternal one to come. This knowledge instills courage, boldness and power in those who grab a hold of it. Life is not meant to be lived in fear, but rather boldly and faithfully looking to the promises ahead. “By faith he (Abraham) lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” — Hebrews 11:10.
Quest: You are born for a purpose. Just as each of us who believe in Christ Jesus sojourn in this life, all those of the household of faith are made for a unique and wonderful purpose. There are no unused Christians in the body of Christ. His plan for you is vital and He asks of you to walk the narrow path. If you follow his commands and trust in Him, He will lead you and guide you. If you are frustrated and feel without purpose, don’t blame God, but look at what might be holding you back. Strip away the cares of this world and live differently. You are on an uncommon road and it requires faith. Imagine the freedom in living for the kingdom to come instead of the passing pleasures of this life. God looks to and fro for those willing to live this way. Follow what the Spirit of God is speaking and take up your cross and follow Him. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” — Galatians: 2:20.
The Path: The following is a reminder we wrote for ourselves many years ago and it sums up what we follow for the mission of our lives as sojourners. “You get one pass at life, to live and become all that you can, to adventure beyond your reach and discover who you are. The time we’re given is a quest; a quest to deliver the message of hope. It is a journey that leads you to the ends of the earth. It is a life lived for ideals, where the road is uncertain and the dangers are real. It is a moment when you step out of a normal life and live for something more. It is an expedition measured not in distance, but in the everlasting. This is the story of our journey, that has brought us around the world, to witness, the moments of eternity.”