“Hey, stranger.” Have you used those words lately to greet a friend or family member whom it feels like you haven’t seen in ages? “Hey, stranger!” Feeling like strangers after almost a year of pandemic life is one thing. Do you ever feel like a stranger in this world? Like you don’t belong? Like you stick out? Like you don’t fit it in? That’s actually how Peter described Christians in the Bible. He wrote, “To God’s elect, strangers in the world…” (1 Peter 1:1). In other words, “Hey, stranger!” If you’re a Christian, that’s who you are: A stranger in this world. Don’t be surprised if you don’t feel at home. You’re a stranger here!
But you’re not a stranger to everyone. Here’s how Peter continued, “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance” (1 Peter 1:2). You are a stranger in this world, but you are not a stranger to God. God the Father chose you for himself even before he made the world. God the Holy Spirit is living and working in your heart right now. God the Son—Jesus—has saved you and sprinkled you with his blood. Even though you feel like a stranger in this world, you can have grace and peace in abundance. I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home!
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