This is my world, but it is not my home.  As if constantly walking against the rushing tide, or a fearsome rage of wind, onward I press one step at a time.  Dare I not look back at all the crowds of people, who bustle about laughing, easily carried by the wind as if it was a thrill to be tossed to and fro;  They are enemies of the cross of Christ, with minds set on the things of my world, and little do they seem to know their perilous state. 

But may my eyes be fixed, steadfastly on the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Yes though it may be blurry in the distance, the rain beating wildly and gray in front of it and the devils pushing and prodding at all who walk this path; Yes, though it lies beyond a narrow gate and a restrictive road, may I fix my eyes securely on that prize! 

May I not look back, lest I be found not fit for the kingdom of God, and in so looking back prove that my desires are for this world and not for Heaven with my Lord!

For see, this is my world but it is not my portion.  It does not fill me nor sustain me; it does not satisfy or comfort me.  Psalm 73:25-26 “Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” 

This is my world, but yet in its pursuit of pleasure and of vanity I can find no rest for my soul.  My soul could seek from the depths of the ocean to the edge of the stars and yet among all created things I would find no place to rest.  Oh run to Jesus, all you weary and burdened, and you will find rest for your souls!

I have seen my world bow down to every graven image, to things that are made and that fly and swim or crawl upon the ground.  They attribute the glory of God to created things; they look at a rock and call it ‘my Father.’  They fall down before the work of their own hands and worship.  The Lord says of the man who does such “a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, ‘Is there not a lie in my right hand (Isaiah 44:20)?”

They trust in vain imaginations; they weave for themselves a way to God but behold: it is not His way.  “Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’  There is no fear of God before their eyes (Romans 2:17-18).”  They pave and they walk in confidence upon a crooked path; it’s “end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Philippians 4:19).”

This is my world but my citizenship is in heaven, and from it I await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. This world and its lusts are passing away.  The pompous pride of the wicked will be destroyed, and those honoured by man will be dishonoured by the God who rules over heaven and earth.  The pride of the haughty will be brought low, the humble will be exalted and the meek shall inherit the earth. 

This is my world, but those in it are blind and lost.  They look at money, and they say ‘worth lying for,’ at sex and say ‘worth cheating for.’  They look at Hollywood and say ‘inform me of what’s real,’ and at the weak, and the starving, and destitute and say ‘unpleasant.  Put them out of sight and out of mind.’ 

They exchange the truth about God for lie!  They thirst for that which does not satisfy; they desire and do not have so they murder, they covet and cannot obtain so they fight and quarrel.  They commit adultery against God with the world, and they do not see that “whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4)”

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income (Ecclesiastes 5:10).”  Yet see how they run, see how my world labours and toils for that which does not satisfy:  it is a grievous evil. 

This is my world but it is not yet as it should be, and in this tent I groan inwardly awaiting the adoption as sons and as daughters. 

This is my world, but it is not yet free, no matter how much you might say “this is a free country.”  For sin has entered in, and has permeated every heart and every organism from plant to creature.  The King has subjected His world to futility because of sin.  He has done it in the glorious hope and purpose that one day He will shine forth and set it free from its bondage to decay.  But for now, this is my world but not like it will be, for now it reels and writhes under the curse of sin and I see that all within it suffer pain, and death, and sorrow.  Yes even the children of God now suffer, waiting for this world to be made new- the skies to be rolled up like a scroll, and the heavens to pass away with a roar, for the elements to melt and be dissolved, for the earth and the works done it to be exposed (2Peter 3:10-12).  Then in that day with all things made new, when there will be no more suffering or tears in our eyes, then in that day all God’s children will know that our suffering was not worth comparing with the glory that we will then be seeing when we find real freedom, when we receive the adoption, when our bodies are at last redeemed (Romans 8:18-25)! 

And there, in great Jerusalem my world will finally be my home.  ‘Till Jesus be by my side I will wait in glorious hope; I will wait with loud singing and joy:  for my hope is sure, my hope is sure.  It was sealed with the words “it is finished.”

Revelations 21:1-8 “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I have based every part of this on scriptures.  To see scriptures that are not cited above see:  Hebrews 11:13-16, Philippians 3:13-14, Mathew 7:14, Luke 9:62, Matthew 11:29, Romans 1:23, Proverbs 14:12, Philippians 4:27, 1John 2:17, Isaiah 23:9, Isaiah 2:11, Mathew 5:5, Romans 1:25, 2Corinthians 5:4, Revelations 6:14, John 19:30